


Heat of the Moment

by Rose_SK (orphan_account)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Angst, Bottom Gabriel/Top Sam Winchester, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fallen Angel Gabriel (Supernatural), Fallen Angels, Fantasizing, Fluff and Angst, Foot Jobs, Gay Sex, Human Gabriel (Supernatural), Hypothermia, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Kali (Supernatural) - Freeform, M/M, Masturbation, Minor Destiel, Not Canon Compliant, Past Gabriel/Kali (Supernatural), Porn Watching, Protective Castiel, Protective Sam Winchester, Sabriel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-08-19 19:04:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 54,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16540370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Rose_SK
Summary: “Why are you hiding this from them, brother? The Winchesters can’t keep you safe if they don’t know the whole truth” Cas chastised, and Gabriel could not say that he appreciated the patronising undertone, but he decided to let it slide.“Tell me Castiel, when you told Dean about your newly found humanity, how did that pan out for you?”***MOMENTARILY ON HIATUS***





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guuuuuuuys. I'm back with more Sabriel! 
> 
> Tags will be added as the story progresses, so please keep an eye out. I will mention triggering tags in chapter notes if necessary. 
> 
> The story has been marked mature, this will concern later chapters. Just to be safe, I don't really like changing rating half-way through. 
> 
> This looks like it's gonna be fun to write. As a side note, Destiel is not the main pairing of this story, sorry about that! I want to explore Sabriel as its own pairing rather than a complementary pairing to Destiel. (We'll see some cute scenes between Dean and Cas, but they won't be the focus!)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading chapter one as much as I enjoyed writing it. Still fairly new to Sabriel, so if Gabriel seems slightly out of character, sorry. 
> 
> xx

_I never meant to be so bad to you_ __  
One thing I said that I would never do  
A look from you and I would fall from grace  
And that would wipe this smile right from my face

(Heat of the Moment - Asia) 

 

“That’s it…” Dean announced, swinging his feet up onto the table and uncapping his beer with the strength of his hand, “That’s me officially bored out of my damn wits”

 

“You’ve only repeated that five times in the last hour, Dean” Sam sighed, not looking up from his laptop. The younger Winchester knew what his brother was going through; he too wished he could get lost in a case, even one as simple as a salt and burn. The monsters had apparently decided to gang up on Dean and Sam in a novel way: by being annoyingly quiet.

 

“Well, I’m gonna say it again, lately our life has been as exciting as watching paint dry on the walls. Makes me wonder if there is a reason why the monsters are hiding… like you know when animals feel a natural catastrophe coming and they run for the hills?”

 

Sam could not help but snicker at the comparison, but he then realised that Dean was being serious. Rolling his eyes, the younger Winchester snapped his laptop shut and rose from his chair so he could stretch his stiff limbs. “You are acting crazy when you’re bored, you know that? Conspiracy theories about monsters… that’s a new low, even for you”

 

“Shut up, bitch” Dean muttered under his breath, taking another sip of his beer.

 

“Jerk” Sam replied, making his way to the kitchen to make himself a banana and chocolate smoothie, his favourite treat on his cheat days.

 

“Hey, have you heard from Cas lately?” Sam shouted at his brother, trying to divert his attention from the mind-numbing boredom.

 

“Nope. Nothing but radio silence from that jerk. Honestly, he used to appear whenever I called and now he’s sure taking his sweet time” Sam smiled slightly at the hurt tone in Dean’s voice.

 

“Cas and Dean sitting in a tree… K-I-S-S-I-N-G” the younger Winchester hummed softly, loud enough so his brother who was sitting in the next room could hear him. The guttural groan and annoyed mumbling only made Sam’s grin grow wider when he realised that his teasing had gotten to his older brother. The younger Winchester knew for a fact that Dean was blushing so hard Sam could have fried an egg on his face.

 

“Cas and Dean sitting in a tree… K-I-S-S-I-N-G…”

 

“Shut your frickin’ cake hole, Sammy, or I swear to God…” Dean’s threat was cut off by the deafening sound of Sam’s blender mixing the banana, milk and the two scoops of chocolate ice cream. Only after Sam noticed that Dean’s lips stopped moving did he release the pressure on the button with a toothy grin.

 

“You know it’s blasphemous to use your father-in-law’s name in vain, right?”

 

“You’re just jealous because God is my boyfriend’s dad… I have better contacts than you” Dean stated with a satisfied smile on plastered on his face. Sam merely rolled his eyes and left the kitchen, making sure to shove Dean forcefully on his way out.

 

“Alright that’s it, you little…”

 

Dean’s insult was lost on the two brothers when the quietness of the bunker was broken by the sound of someone crashing onto their wooden table, which cracked under the impact of two bodies collapsing onto it. Dean and Sam immediately assumed a defensive position, suddenly wishing they carried their guns around in the bunker for cases like these. When the two brothers realised who had managed to break their massive wooden table, both their jaws went slack in surprise.

 

“Gabriel?” both brothers cried out simultaneously.

 

“The one and…” the end of Gabriel’s sentence was cut short by a coughing fit that had the archangel doubled over as if he were in pain before spitting blood over the wooden debris scattered across the floor. Cas instantly reached out for his brother in an attempt to heal him, but Gabriel was quick to stop him. “No, brother… seraphs can’t heal archangels, remember?”

 

Sam thought there was something odd about the archangel’s tone and the way he shot Cas a knowing look that seemed to speak louder than words ever could for the other angel merely nodded in approval and retracted his hand. To say that Sam was confused by that scene was an understatement. What was there not to be confused about? Gabriel, the trickster archangel that had sacrificed himself years ago to save Dean and Sam from Lucifer was back… his whole face was caked in dried blood, his nose looked broken and he sported an impressive black eye that extended nearly to the top part of his cheekbone. Something had managed to beat up an archangel, and Sam was curious to know what they were up against and how the hell they would manage to fight it if Gabriel himself could not defeat it.

 

And last, but certainly not least, Sam used to have a massive crush on Gabriel despite him trapping the two brothers in a time loop and in TV land. There was just something about the archangel that had always made Sam’s heart race in his chest; there was something about his cheeky smile, and the mischievous look in his eyes, not to mention the archangel’s childlike obsession with sweets. Sam had accepted Gabriel’s death and he had managed to get over him, no effortlessly mind you. It had not been as bad as Jessica, of course… Jess was the love of his life, after all. Still, Sam had been hurt when Gabriel disappeared, especially since he did it to save him and Dean. The younger Winchester had never truly forgiven himself for that.

 

“Alright” Dean interrupted the eerie silence that had settled between the four of them, clearly managing to overcome his shock easier than his younger brother, “what the hell is going on here?”

 

“Do we have to talk about it now? As you can see, I would appreciate some time to wash up and make myself presentable” Gabriel averted the question skilfully, motioning at his face and clothes. Dean merely shook his head, repeatedly uttering words under his breath and pacing back and forth, while Cas managed to get back onto his feet and straighten his trench coat somewhat.

 

“Do you really think after all the things you’ve done that I will grant you a favour?” Dean suddenly snapped at Gabriel, who shot him an affronted look.

 

“Eh, excuse you Dean-o, but I died to save you chuckleheads, I think a shower is the least I could ask for in repayment…”

 

“Oh don’t you dare play that card on me, if it had not been for me you would have fled like the coward you are” Dean was properly screaming at the archangel now, and Sam had an inkling that provoking and disrespecting an archangel was not the right move, especially if said archangel had just been beaten up seemingly within an inch of his life.

 

“Look man,…” Sam started, only to be interrupted by Cas’ authoritative voice.  

 

“Dean, even though I appreciate all the sacrifices you and your brother have made to save humanity, I will not tolerate you speaking to an archangel in such a way. You will show us both some respect, or so help me Father I will discipline you until you grovel at our feet asking for forgiveness…”

 

Sam noticed Gabriel holding back a snort out of the corner of his eye, which really did not help the younger Winchester’s own state of mind. Sam cleared his throat to hide his amusement and pretended not to notice Dean turning a deep shade of red. The scene became even more hilarious when the older Winchester did not dare argue with Cas any longer and merely mumbled angrily under his breath as he exited the room in a huff.

 

“Well one’s thing for sure, you have Dean wrapped around your little finger” Sam commented with a wide grin, momentarily forgetting the absurdity of the situation. Cas tilted his head to the side and frowned in confusion. Sam merely shook his head dismissively. “Yeah dude, never mind”

 

Gabriel suddenly grunted in pain, drawing the seraphs and Sam’s attention to the fact that he was still struggling to get back on his feet. Both Sam and Cas instantly went to help him, and judging by the abrupt way with which Gabriel snatched his arms away when he finally felt stable enough on his feet, the archangel’s pride had definitely been wounded.

 

“You can use my shower if you want” Sam offered, “I’ll get some of Dean’s clothes out for you. I would give you some of mine, but…”

 

“I appreciate the sentiment, Samshine, but I am already weak as it is… no need to make me look like a child wearing daddy’s oversized clothes” Gabriel said shortly, dragging himself away from the mess his and Cas’ landing had created. Sam nodded sheepishly, avoiding Gabriel’s eyes as much as he could, and leading the way to his bathroom. It took them a while to get there because of Gabriel’s limp, but Sam knew better than to offer his arm for support. If the archangel was grateful for the gesture he did not show it.

 

“I’ll get you fresh towels and clothes” Sam told Gabriel once they had reached his bedroom, “do you need stitches?”

 

“No…” Gabriel answered, “most of that blood isn’t mine anyway. I can consider myself lucky… give the bruises a couple of days and I’ll look good as new”

 

“Yeah…” Sam wondered whether he should mention the archangel’s broken nose, but decided against it in the end, “right I’ll give you some privacy then”

 

“Thank you, Samshine…” Sam heard the archangel say just as the younger Winchester was about to leave the room, “Thank you for… well, being nice to me. I know that I haven’t done much to deserve your kindness…”

 

Sam stopped dead in his tracks, shocked by how open Gabriel spoke to him, but also hurt at the thought that the archangel thought he was not worthy of kindness.

 

“Don’t worry about that… You saved me and Dean back then, let’s call it even”

 

Sam offered Gabriel a small smile before gently shutting the door behind him. His heart was doing that thing again where it raced in his chest to the point where Sam thought he might faint from the intensity of the sensation. He had been a fool all along for believing that he had managed to get over his crush for Gabriel.  

 

Oh fate, thou art a heartless bitch.

 

OoO

 

“So basically you were ambushed out of nowhere by a horde of angry demons and they managed to beat the crap out of a fricking archangel, and when you realised you were outnumbered you prayed to Cas of all people to come and save you?” Dean repeated Gabriel’s story, a deep frown on his face as he tried to make sense of the situation.

 

“Pretty much sums it up, Dean-o” Gabriel confirmed, holding back a weary sigh.

 

“So where are those demons now?” Sam queried.

 

“Dead” Cas replied before Gabriel had a chance to do so himself, “our combined powers made it easy for us to kill them. The bodies have been burnt, the demon essences sent back to hell”

 

“Okay, but why can’t you heal yourself then Gabriel?” Sam noticed how the question made Gabriel feel visibly uncomfortable. Shifting slightly on his seat in a strikingly human way, the archangel seemed to struggle to find the right words. Dean was growing more and more impatient and was about to urge Gabriel to speak when Sam kicked him under the table and shot him a warning glare.

 

“It just needs to recharge, you know? So rather than wasting it now on little wounds and extending the recharge process, I decided to wait until my powers were up before fixing my vessel. He’s a cool guy, he’ll understand”

 

“Well, in the meantime you are more than welcome to stay at the bunker” Sam told the archangel with a warm smile on his lips. He ignored the appalled look Dean shot him, leaving it to Cas to convince his boyfriend that keeping Gabriel around was a good idea. Sam was confident that the seraph would be on his side, and considering his earlier display of authority, he knew how to get Dean on board with pretty much anything.

 

Besides, Dean would surely grow fond of the archangel eventually… right?

 

“That is very generous Samoose, but I know when I’m not welcomed” Gabriel said, flicking his eyes briefly in Dean’s direction.

 

“Good, at least we’re on the same page” Dean rose from his chair intended to end the conversation, but the pleading looks from both his baby brother and his lover made him reconsider his actions. They were ganging up on him… and Dean found this very unfair. “No guys, come on. Don’t do this to me, you are grown men! Not kids in a toy store!”

 

“Dean… he’s my brother. Please, wouldn’t you want your brother to be safe if he was injured?” Cas begged, his voice higher than usual and his puppy eyes almost rivalling Sam’s.

 

“My brother doesn’t go around trapping people in time loops and TV lands…” Dean countered, sounding less convinced about sending Gabriel away than he had before.

 

“To be fair man, I go around triggering the apocalypse instead… I mean compared to me, Gabe looks more like a petty prankster…” Sam reasoned.

 

“Hey, believe me Samoose I could trigger an apocalypse too, you don’t want to test me” Gabriel cried out, the outrage clear in his voice.

 

“Gabe? Samoose? Really Sammy, you two are already on nickname basis?” Dean took a deep breath and closed his eyes in an effort to stay calm, “Do you know what, fine he can stay! Not much I can do about it anyway, you lot are just the worst. But Gabriel I’m warning you… one single step out of line, and you’d wish those demons had managed to kill you. Mark my words”

 

Sam knew that Dean was still pissed at the archangel… majorly, in fact. And he had all the reason in the world to be. Or rather, Gabriel had never given him any reason not to feel the way he did. Sam understood that, and he was willing to live with Dean’s grumpy moods. Gabriel was allowed to stay at least until his grace was restored, and the thought made Sam really happy. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone, especially not Dean. His older brother would lose his mind if he found out about Sam’s crush on Gabriel.

 

“So that settles that. Gabe, I don’t know if you need much sleep, but if you do then there’s plenty rooms to pick from. Some of them have en-suite bathrooms if you prefer” Sam noticed the small smirk that appeared on Gabriel’s lips, and in that instant the younger Winchester wondered if the archangel could read his mind.

 

“Thanks Sammykins. Always nice to feel welcomed”

 

The last comment was obviously intended as a sarcastic jab at Dean, but for once the older Winchester decided to be the bigger person and leave the room rather than strangle their guest. Sam shot Cas and Gabriel an apologetic smile.

 

“Sorry about that. He’ll get over it, just give him a couple of days…and please don’t try to prank him, that won’t go down well” Sam advised Gabriel before standing up, “I’ll be in my room of any of you need anything. See you around guys”

 

“Thank you again Samshine… much appreciated” Gabriel thanked the taller man once more, winking at him casually. Sam truly hoped Gabriel could not see the obscene pictures that action created in his mind and without another word, he disappeared into his bedroom leaving both brothers alone in the library. When Gabriel made sure that Sam was safely out of ear-range, he focused his attention on Castiel.

 

“That was a close call… I’m safe now, brother. You may leave if you wish so” the archangel said dismissively, but he should have known better than to assume that Cas was one to follow orders without a fight.

 

“Why are you hiding this from them, brother? The Winchesters can’t keep you safe if they don’t know the whole truth” Cas chastised, and Gabriel could not say that he appreciated the patronising undertone, but he decided to let it slide.

 

“Tell me Castiel, when you told Dean about your newly found humanity, how did that pan out for you?”

 

Gabriel knew that his words hit home as soon as he had spoken them, and frankly he hated seeing Cas’ shoulders slump ever so slightly in sadness as he was reminded of Dean sending him away. But his brother needed to understand the former archangel’s reasons for doing what he was doing.

 

“That was different… Gadreel got into his head then… Besides, our circumstances are different, too. I had no idea how to be human, or how to act around them. You’ve been living as one of them for centuries”

 

“Close to a millennium, actually, and yes I do know how to _act_ human. I never actually had to _be_ one. I mean, this constant urge to relieve my bladder is starting to get old already and it’s only been twelve hours! Castiel, I can’t afford to be on the streets. I have powerful enemies, and if they found out about my condition, they’ll track me down and they’ll kill me. Unless you hadn’t noticed, I don’t miss heaven and I don’t want to go back there anytime soon. This bunker the Winchester bros call home is pretty much demon and angel proof. It’s the safest place I could think of”

 

Gabriel hated the pity he saw in his brother’s eyes, especially since if confronted Cas would brush it off as compassion or some crap like that. No, the seraph pitied him. Castiel knew how terribly it felt for angels to lose their grace and their wings… it was humiliating to say the very least, devastatingly humiliating. Especially when Gabriel had once been one of heaven’s most powerful weapons. What did he have to show for it now?

 

“What do you expect me to do, brother? Lie to the Winchesters?”

 

“You’ve done it before, only this time it’s so you can have your brother’s back. You’re really only giving them a taste of their own medicine” Gabriel announced cheerfully, as if moralising the use of lies was the solution to all the world’s problems.

 

“I don’t feel comfortable lying to them…” Cas objected, visibly getting more agitated as the conversation progressed.

 

“Castiel, listen to me: I raised you, I taught you how to fly, I trained you to become the warrior that you are today… one of my lessons, if you recall, was that sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures…”

 

Gabriel knew that Cas would remember each lesson the archangel had taught him. After all, he had been one of the lucky fledglings to prove himself worthy enough to be trained by one of the big four at the time. Gabriel had taken a liking to Castiel immediately, and Cas had regarded him as a father figure for most of his life considering God was, to say the least, an absent parent. Gabriel knew it was wrong, but he would make use of that fatherly authority if he had to. Castiel would not refuse him much for very long, and the words he spoke next were a proof of this.

 

“Fine, but I won’t keep your secret forever brother. You’ll have to tell them at some point, or I will do it for you”

 

“They’ll find out soon enough, Cas” Gabriel assured his brother, tapping his cheek affectionately, “I promise”

 

TBC.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware of the mention of Catholic beliefs that could be read to be blasphemous. 
> 
> The author does not condone religious discrimination, or religious intolerance. The comments made on any religion throughout any of my stories are a creative choice fitted to the characters' personalities. They are not meant as a personal attack on any religion.

“Look Cas, I know he’s your brother, but I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it now: there’s something shady about him”

 

Dean finished getting dressed for bed, stifling a yawn threatening to force its way past his lips. Several hours ago, the archangel him and his brother thought dead all this time had unceremoniously landed on their wooden table – shattering an exceptionally sturdy piece of furniture in the process – and asked for permission to stay in the bunker until his grace was fully restored. Dean still did not really know how he had let himself be convinced that having an archangel live under their roof, but there he was, arguing with Cas about it all.

 

“He’s mysterious and secretive… you would be too if you had to hide from your family for nearly a thousand years” Cas defended Gabriel diligently, already patiently waiting for Dean to join him in bed. The seraph did not need to sleep, but he would usually lie next to his partner to make sure that the older Winchester got several hours of good sleep every night where it was possible. Plus, Dean liked to think that Cas would be there if he could not wake up from a nightmare.

 

“Still man… I mean, he looked like he was in a pretty bad shape. How come a bunch of simple demons managed to beat an archangel that bad? There must’ve been something wrong with Gabriel’s grace for a while now…”

 

Cas shifted uncomfortably on the bed, creasing the sheets under him ever so slightly. The seraph avoided Dean’s gaze, which immediately made the older Winchester suspicious. Cas could be a great liar when he wanted to be, but with Dean it was usually a lot more difficult to keep up the disloyal front.

 

“Cas… c’mon, spit it out” Dean demanded sternly, standing in front of the bed with his arms cross over his chest.

 

“He told me he was low on grace for a couple of weeks now…” Castiel admitted, hoping Dean would not notice that this was not the whole truth, either. The older Winchester’s eyes grew wider at the revelation, his mouth slightly agape as he took several seconds to decide whether he had heard Cas correctly, or whether his ears were playing tricks on him.

 

“Weeks? Something’s definitely not right, I’mma go talk to the son of a…”

 

“Dean, please!” Cas cried out, suddenly shooting off the bed and grabbing Dean by the wrist to keep him from leaving the room, “Gabriel can’t know that I told you, he made me promise not to tell anyone”

 

“Cas, it’s been _weeks_! This is not regular mojo we’re talking about, this is archangel grace taking weeks to recover… my question is, what is powerful enough to bring it down that low? We need to know what we’re up against!” Dean tried to reason with his lover, but Cas would have none of it.

 

“It’s probably only Gabriel using the little grace he’s managing to restore for ends that are not appropriate of the situation. You know how he gets, he likes to create these fantasy worlds… that’s all it is”

 

“Look me in the eyes and tell me that this is _exactly_ what you believe is happening here” Dean challenged Castiel, locking his green eyes with his lover’s azure ones. Cas’ eyes flickered back and forth, betraying his slightly panicked state of mind. The seraph swallowed audibly, a very human action in Dean’s eyes, which indicated that something was definitely wrong… and that Cas was not telling the truth.

 

“Dean I… I can’t tell you. Gabriel made me promise to give him some time to explain everything to you and Sam in person. Please, don’t make me break my vow to my brother, I can’t afford to lose Gabriel, too”

 

Dean could see the panic in Cas’ eyes, a panic that had little to do with the fear of having his brother’s secrets revealed. This was a genuine worry on Cas’ side that Gabriel would get so mad at him that he would never want to speak to the seraph again. And for some inconceivable reason, Cas seemed to really care about Gabriel. Dean could not even remember his lover mentioning the archangel at all before TV Land, or even after. The older Winchester had always assumed that Cas never really knew Gabriel and had no direct links to him.

 

Clearly there were a lot of things that Dean did not know about his lover.

 

“So Gabriel’s secret… is it something that could potentially harm you or Sam?” Dean asked, his voice gruffer than usual. Cas bit his lower lip nervously.

 

“It could become dangerous if the wrong people find out” the seraph admitted, making Dean sigh heavily.

 

“Well in that case, I guess we’ll have to make sure that the monsters don’t find out before we do”

 

Cas merely nodded at Dean’s statement, feeling a smile pull at the corner of his lips. He felt his heart swell with gratitude and love for his lover. “Thank you, Dean. You have no idea how much this means to me…”

 

“Just promise me one thing Cas: if you or Sam are in danger, you tell me, alright? You spill the beans about everything, got it?” Dean warned, interlacing his fingers with Cas’.

 

“Of course, Dean. Anything to keep you safe”

 

OoO

 

Sam could not sleep.

 

Not when he knew that Gabriel had picked the room right beside his to rest. The walls in the bunker were thick and yielded no information on what the archangel could be up to. Sam swallowed thickly when an image of Gabriel pleasuring himself flashed through his mind. At the same time, an invisible fist seemed to tighten around his gut at the thought that Gabriel might have snapped porn stars into existence. Sam’s jaw clenched as he imagined other people getting to touch the angel he had been fantasising about for a while.

 

Sighing heavily at his behaviour, Sam grabbed the novel he had started the night before from the night stand and opened it to the marked page. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on the sentences he was reading, the younger Winchester could not make any sense of them. He quickly abandoned the idea of distracting himself through reading, and decided to take his laptop out to watch some Netflix instead.

 

Sam never made it to Netflix. In fact, the videos he ended up watching would not have been considered an appropriate genre for the streaming platform. As Sam pressed play on yet another porn video, he closed his eyes and pretended that the noises the porn star made were in fact Gabriel’s moans and whimpers of pleasure. Sam blindly placed his laptop next to him on the bed, and without opening his eyes began stroking his growing bulge through his boxers. The simple friction made him shiver, and the younger Winchester had to refrain from letting out a guttural moan. True, the walls in the bunker were thin, but the doors were not… anyone walking past could hear everything that was going on in any of the rooms. This is why it was usually wise to steer clear from Dean’s room when him and Cas disappeared in there for a while.

 

Shaking the thoughts of his brother away, Sam focused on the sounds coming from his laptop speakers and on the feeling of his hand massaging his shaft through the fabric. His dick was growing at an alarming rate as Sam started picturing the archangel next door undressing seductively for him before straddling his lap and leaning down to seal their mouths in a bruising kiss. Before he knew it, Sam grabbed his hard shaft and began pumping it lazily, imagining that it was Gabriel’s hand working its magic on him rather than his own. When Sam fantasised about what the archangel would look like riding his dick, the younger Winchester lost all ability to control the successive moans escaping his lips. He could feel himself getting closer and closer to his orgasm… until he heard a loud and purposeful knock on the door of his bedroom.

 

“Sorry to bother you, Samshine…” Gabriel’s voice interrupted Sam’s daydreaming, “you said you’d be in your room if I needed anything… well, guess what, I’m needing something”

 

Sam cursed under his breath as he desperately tried to close the tabs on his computer, ending up simply slamming it shut so Gabriel would not hear the sex noises coming from it. “Yeah Gabe, give me a second” the younger Winchester shouted louder than necessary to cover up any suspicious activity. Sam quickly put on a pair of flannel PJ bottoms before finally answering the door.

 

“What can I do you for? I mean eh… when can I do you, no wait…” Sam blushed furiously as his tongue refused to speak the right words. He noticed Gabriel’s raised eyebrow and mocking grin, which did nothing to appease the taller man. The younger Winchester took a deep breath before offering Gabriel a tense and somewhat embarrassed smile, “How can I help?”

 

“Guess little Sam had dibs on the blood supply there, huh?” Gabriel commented with a toothy grin, nodding causally at Sam’s crotch. The taller man was mortified at the implication but decided that he had embarrassed himself enough for the day.

 

“What do you want, Gabe?”

 

“Just covers for my bed… I’m feeling rather cold” the archangel admitted, his grin fading from his lips.

 

“Yeah sure, uh… hang on, I think I might have spare ones in my wardrobe” Glad for the pretext, Sam turned his back on Gabriel and went to retrieve a duvet and bedding for the recovering archangel. “Uh, do you need help getting this sorted out? I mean, you probably never had to do it before…”

 

Gabriel seemed to hesitate for an instant, reluctant to admit that he needed a human’s assistance. Sam understood, and he vowed not to be offended if Gabriel refused his help… although it would probably hurt just a little bit being rejected by his crush. God, Sam felt like he was acting like a high school girl, and he hated it.

 

“Yes…” Gabriel finally conceded, “I would appreciate some help…”

 

“Ok”

 

Sam followed Gabriel back into the room the archangel had picked and got to work while Gabriel leaned with his back against the wall and his arms crossed before his chest. Sam wondered if the archangel was checking him out, but willed those thoughts away. He could not allow himself to get physically, or even worse _emotionally_ attached, to Gabriel. His lovers had all been met with a tragic fate, and the archangel had just returned from the dead seemingly. Sam intended it to stay that way.

 

“There you go, crispy clean sheets for you” Sam announced after he finished making the bed.

 

“I’m sorry for interrupting your little session for something like this…” Gabriel apologised, and although his tone sounded teasing, Sam thought he could see a glimpse of genuine remorse and embarrassment in the archangel’s eyes. He could not remember Gabriel being so easy to read before, but that could be due to his lack of grace.

 

“Yeah, uh… don’t worry about that, I guess”

 

These words were followed by an awkward silence where all Sam did was squirm uncomfortably under Gabriel’s amused gaze. The archangel seemed to be having the time of his life.

 

“C’mon kiddo, don’t be like that. It’s natural, we’ve all done it before” Gabriel assured Sam with a wink, his voice growing slightly softer which warmed Sam’s heart, “besides, all that crap from the Catholics about chastity and carnal sins… they’re just party poopers, that’s all. These rules by the way, nothing to do with God or the angels…”

 

“No, I figured as much when Dean and I first met you…” Sam admitted shyly. Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows at that statement.

 

“So, uh… I think I’ll let you rest a little then. You know, the quicker you get your grace back the better…” Sam wondered why Gabriel seemed to tense at the mention of his grace, but convinced himself that he had only imagined it.

 

“Sure thing, kiddo. Sleep tight… and don’t get too naughty now”

 

“Yeah, I think you killed that plan when you interrupted me” Sam admitted with a small laugh while Gabriel let out a small snort, “But uh yeah, sleep tight too”

 

When Sam was back in his room, it took him several more minutes to get his heart rate down to a regular pace. The sound of Gabriel’s voice and the way he looked at Sam made the younger Winchester feel warm and fuzzy inside. This was getting ridiculous. More importantly, this whole crush felt like more than just a brief infatuation for the archangel… and that kind of development was dangerous. Sam knew he should not allow himself to hope for a future with Gabriel. He knew it was bad for his health.

 

And yet, he could not help himself.

 

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam woke up early the next morning hoping the events of the previous night had only been dream, although deep down he knew it had all been far too real. Sam groaned in shame and buried his face in his pillow as he recalled Gabriel’s suggestive comments about what the younger Winchester had been up to before the archangel had interrupted him. God, he hoped Gabriel would not bring it up, especially not if Dean or Cas were around. Sam could not think of a worse situation to be in… then again, being interrogated by his older brother on who had got his motor running sounded pretty horrifying as well.

 

The younger Winchester was forced out of the warm comfort of his bed by an urge to empty his bladder. Sighing heavily, Sam threw the covers to one side and hissed slightly when his feet hit the cold floor of the bunker. This place could seriously do with some underground heating in Sam’s opinion. By the time the younger Winchester had given in to his natural needs, he felt wide awake and ready to hit the day. Not that the day had much to offer… probably more digging around for cases and whiny comments from a very bored Dean. However, Sam was looking forward to spending more time with Gabriel. This prospect already made it worth getting out of bed.

 

Putting on an old faded grey t-shirt on, Sam made his way to the kitchen with a small bounce in his step and a smile on his lips. Today felt like a good day. It was not very often that Sam felt this happy in the morning and he would enjoy the feeling for as long as it lasted. The younger Winchester stopped suddenly when he thought he heard a noise break the silence of the bunker. Concentrating on his surroundings, Sam waited to see if his ears picked up any unfamiliar sounds. The bunker was quiet. The younger Winchester shrugged his shoulders and began wondering what he would like for his breakfast when a moan interrupted his thoughts. There it was, he knew he had heard _something_. His nerves were on edge as Sam tried to make out whether he was in any immediate danger. Only when he realised that the sounds were coming from Gabriel’s bedroom did Sam feel his heart drop in his chest. Worried that something had followed the archangel into the bunker, Sam desperately tried the door handle and found the door unlocked. The younger Winchester stormed into the room and frantically looked around the place for any sign of threats. Sam was confused when he found the room empty apart from Gabriel’s thrashing form on the bed.

 

That’s when it hit Sam like a mace to the head: the archangel was having a nightmare.

 

“No… please don’t… please, you won’t even know I’m here…”

 

Sam felt his heart break at the sight. He wondered if every angel could dream when their grace was low, and if that was the case, he wanted Gabriel to heal fast so he would not have to face the demons in his head. Sam did not think twice about stepping closer to the bed and sitting on its edge, placing a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. The archangel’s forehead was soaked in sweat, causing the blonde strands to stick to the wetness of his skin.

 

“Hey Gabe, it’s okay…”

 

“No… please… you can’t send me out there…”

 

Sam shook the archangel slightly, trying not to startle him too much but wishing Gabriel would open his eyes and see that he was safe, “Hey dude, come on it’s me Sam… wake up, you’re having a nightmare”

 

The thrashing intensified as Gabriel let out a strangled sob. Sam did not know how to react: seeing such a powerful creature reduced to this pitiful state was heart-wrenching at the very least. What could be so terrible that it had the potential to make an archangel, heaven’s most powerful weapon, sob like a child?

 

“Gabriel” Sam called out more sharply, “wake up!”

 

The younger Winchester finally managed to pull the archangel back to reality and the terrified look Sam could see in Gabriel’s eyes made his heart ache. He wished he could just take Gabriel in his arms, wipe the tears away and tell him that he was okay, that he was safe and that Sam had his back. However, Sam refrained from doing so. He could imagine that Gabriel would not accept any sign of pity directed at him and his condition. It was all temporary, right? Soon, he would have his grace back and he would be back to his usual trickster ways.

 

“Sam?” the archangel spoke, sounding slightly out of breath, “what happened?”

 

“I heard sounds coming from your room and thought that someone had managed to get into the bunker… I was coming in to make sure you were okay and then I realised that you were having a nightmare, so.. I woke you up”

 

Gabriel looked at Sam as if he was trying to make sense of the younger Winchester’s words. It seemed to take the archangel several seconds to process what he had just been told. Clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment, Gabriel avoided eye contact with Sam when he offered the taller man a weak ‘thank you’.

 

“Of course… do you want to talk about it?” Sam asked without great conviction, not because he did not want to know what had Gabriel in such a state of panic, but rather because he did not think that Gabriel would want to share his dream with him.

 

“No need to dwell on it, Samshine. It’s the downside off being… graceless” Gabriel spoke the last word after a short pause, almost as if he had been reconsidering which word to use. Sam did not press the matter and skilfully changed the subject.

 

“Fancying breakfast? I was gonna make an omelette… or I can cook some bacon if you prefer?”

 

Gabriel eyed Sam suspiciously, raising his eyebrow when the younger Winchester suggested to cook for him. The archangel was about to say something when he was interrupted by the loud sound of a stomach growling… Sam frowned when he realised that it had been Gabriel’s stomach.

 

“You sound hungry… I thought angels didn’t feel hunger and thirst…”

 

“Yeah well, hellooooooo graceless… I need to get my strength back, so of course I’ll need to eat” Sam was confused by Gabriel’s defensive tone, but put it down to his wounded pride and offered the archangel an apologetic smile.

 

“Sure, sorry I… so, is bacon and eggs fine for you?”

 

Gabriel looked sheepish, almost as if he regretted snapping at Sam, a look which could not be described as anything less than cute. Gabriel nodded, clearing his throat once more and wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Sam had to stop himself from imagining what other activities would cause the archangel to sweat… now was not the time for a boner, Sam!

 

“I eh... might go for a shower before joining you” Gabriel told Sam, who now had to will the thoughts of Gabriel in the shower away.

 

“Uh yeah sure uh…. I’ll leave you to it, then…”

 

Then Gabriel _smiled_ at Sam. A genuine, thankful smile. It looked so different from the usual cheeky smirk or flirty grin that was so uniquely Gabriel. The smile made his features appear softer and more cherubic. “You don’t have to be so nice to me, Samshine. I know I put you through metaphorical hell in the past… I deserve at least a punch”

 

“That’s the very least you deserve, yeah” Sam agreed with a small chuckle, “but you know… let bygones be bygones…”  

 

“That sounds good to me…”

 

Sam slapped his hand loudly against Gabriel’s shoulder and squeezed it tightly because shaking hands with an archangel just seemed wrong. Not that holding onto his shoulder like Sam was a drowning man and Gabriel a safety net was much better, but the younger Winchester decided to ignore that. When the younger Winchester left the archangel’s room for the kitchen, the memory of Gabriel’s smile was engraved in his mind. Sam vowed to keep that image safely stored in the corner of his mind, you know… to make the rainy days seem a little brighter.

 

OoO

 

 

 “What’s that shit-eating grin for?” Dean asked when he came into the kitchen, lured by the smell of frying bacon and brewing coffee. The grumpy tone of his elder brother’s voice did not faze Sam in the least.

 

“Am I not allowed to be happy on this beautiful morning?” the taller man asked, flipping the bacon sizzling in the pan and taking out three plates.

 

“It’s the same look you have the day after you’ve been laid… oh” a wide grin appeared on Dean’s face, “Sam you dog, did you go out last night without telling me? Not that I approve, bad Sammy, you could have get hurt… but tell me, what did she look like?”

 

“Excuse me? Dean, I wasn’t with a woman last night” Sam defended himself, rolling his eyes as he put his finished omelette on the plate. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Dean nod knowingly to himself, biting his lips in barely concealed amusement.

 

“Alright then, what did _he_ look like?”

 

“Dean!” Sam snapped, his voice slightly higher than usual, “I was not with anyone last night, I didn’t leave the bunker alright? Just drop it, I’m just happy because today feels like a great day”

 

“What are you two arguing about again?” Cas’ deep voice interrupted the two men. Dean whipped around at the sound of his partner’s voice, offering the seraph an exasperated look.

 

“Sammy is being a prude…” was the only explanation that came from Dean, which made Sam groan slightly.

 

“You are so annoying, you know that?” Sam muttered under his breath as he served Dean and Gabriel’s breakfast, his good mood long gone.

 

“Annoying big brothers, ey? I’d  know a thing or two about that” Gabriel took a deep breath when he stepped into the kitchen and let out a satisfied sigh, “mmh, smells heavenly Sammich”

 

“Morning, brother” Cas greeted the archangel with a nod, “how are you feeling this morning?”

 

“Mostly hungry, but well-rested I suppose” Gabriel grabbed the fuller plate from the counter before Dean had a chance to get to it, which earned him an annoyed glare from the older Winchester. Sam’s heart skipped a beat when the archangel winked at him, clearly proud of his little stunt. “Thanks for breakfast Samshine”

 

“No sign of your grace yet?” Dean enquired, stuffing his face with scrambled eggs.

 

“You know what Dean-o, I’ve left my grace countless messages on its voicemail and it hasn’t come back to me yet. Rude, right?” Gabriel replied sarcastically, earning himself a stifled chuckle from Sam.

 

“No need to be a dick. The quicker you have it back, the quicker you’re out of here”

 

“Love you too, Dean-o”

 

The three men finished their breakfast in silence, during which Sam checked out Gabriel more often than he would admit to. The archangel’s vessel was small in stature, but what he did not have in height he made up for in muscle mass (despite the slightly chubby abdomen that most likely came from all the candy Gabriel had consumed over the years… a feature that Sam found utterly adorable). The muscles in the archangel’s arms flexed whenever he brought food to his mouth, and the way the pink lips wrapped around the tines of the fork could not possibly have been unintentional. Sam felt himself blush whenever he caught himself staring, and he prayed to God that he was being discreet.

 

He was so screwed. So very screwed. And Gabriel was to blame.

 

OoO

 

“Alright Sammy listen up… I’ve got info on Gabriel’s grace that I think you should be aware about” Dean announced after barging into the library where Sam had been reading a lore book for the past hour. The younger Winchester looked up at his brother with a questioning frown.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah, really. Last night I asked Cas how long the guy has been low on grace for… it’s been weeks, Sammy” Dean stressed the word ‘weeks’ as if the root of all their problems was contained in that single noun.

 

“I guess because archangel grace is so powerful it must take a lot to regenerate it” Sam tried to reason, intended on going back to his reading and dropping the subject.

 

“Don’t you think that since it’s archangel grace it should regenerate faster? Sammy, we’re talking a different kind of mojo here to what we’re used to. Gabriel should have been fine weeks ago, which makes me think that there is something else going on. And I need you to help me find out what it is” Dean waited patiently for a reaction from his younger brother, which never really came. “Well?”

 

“No” came Sam’s short reply, something which took Dean by surprise.

 

“No? What do you mean no?” Sam finally looked up from his reading, an unamused look on his face.

 

“I mean no as in you are so convinced that Gabriel is hiding something from us that you’re willing to send him away in a world where he could possibly get killed, or worse… just because you dislike him…”

 

“Dislike is an understatement Sammy”, Sam groaned in frustration at his brother’s words, wishing he could put an end to that conversation, “That douchebag got us stuck in a time loop, sent us to TV land and…”

 

“And he saved our fucking lives, Dean” Sam interrupted Dean, his anger bubbling to the surface.

 

“You call this Casa Erotica thing saving our lives? He gave us a tip, dude! And may I add that by doing what he advised you ended up in hell and coming back soulless” Dean was yelling at that point, desperate to get his point across to his brother.

 

“You can’t possibly blame Gabriel for that Dean. Without him we wouldn’t even know how to stop Lucifer, alright?”

 

“Don’t act like he saved the world. He was a coward, he was about to run away when I found him hiding from the whole situation. Gabriel is a fucking coward, and I don’t understand why you are defending him right now”

 

“HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF TO SAVE US” Sam finally exploded, pressing his hands flat on the table and rising from his chair so he effectively towered over Dean. The older Winchester was speechless at his brother’s sudden outburst, and for a moment Dean did not know how to react. Sam, on the other hand, was raging, “He died so you and I could get a head start on Lucifer. He made sure Kali got away safely. He died not only for us, but for her as well. Don’t you get it, Dean? Gabriel is not the bad guy here…”

 

“SAMMY, don’t you dare storm off we are not done here” Dean snapped as he noticed Sam slamming his book shut and walking towards the door. “SAMMY!?”

 

Dean angrily threw a chair across the room when Sam locked himself in his room. Meanwhile, the younger Winchester decided that a cold shower was called for to calm down his nerves.

 

Neither brothers had been aware of the audience their heated argument had attracted.

 

OoO

 

Sam had avoided Dean all day and evening. He had not even responded his brother’s demands to speak to him when he had knocked on Sam’s door earlier. Sam did not feel like talking at all. He was ashamed of the way he had spoken to Dean, and he would make sure to apologize for that. Sam was also worried. The fact that the thought of Gabriel leaving had triggered such an intense reaction from him worried him, mainly because he never thought his feelings for the archangel ran that deep. True, part of him felt that Dean was being too unfair. Gabriel was not the selfish, egocentric dick the older Winchester made him out to be. And as much as it pained Sam to admitted, Kali had been a proof of that. There had been an undeniable attraction between the goddess and the archangel, and Gabriel had made sure that she was safe when Lucifer attacked the hotel. Sam wished not to be reminded of this, but he had to admit that this kind of behaviour spoke in Gabriel’s defence.

 

Even if it made Sam jealous.

 

Another part of him felt like he was treading on dangerously thin ice. Gabriel might not even return his feelings… actually, it is highly improbable that a pure being like an archangel could ever love a soul as tainted as Sam Winchester’s. Even though that truth hurt like a bitch, Sam would have to face the music sooner or later. His fight with Dean was just another reminder of how his feelings for the archangel would affect his everyday life. He could not afford to lose his brother, Dean was all the family he had. So Sam took two decisions that night: one, he would apologize to Dean in the morning and give him a chance to explain himself; two, he would try to get over Gabriel once and for all.

 

Sam realized later that night that he was parched. Since his fight with Dean, he had not eaten or drank anything and his body was making him pay for it now. As quietly as he could so as to not lure Dean out of his bedroom, Sam made his way to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water and something to eat. The younger Winchester nearly jumped out of his skin when he noticed Gabriel standing by the cookers in the dark. Sam’s sudden appearance had clearly startled the archangel as well judging by the little gasp he heard.

 

“Holy crap” Sam cried out, holding his hand to his chest in a futile attempt to steady his racing heart.

 

“Now, now… blasphemy doesn’t suit you, Samsquatch” Gabriel joked, his voice still jittery as he recovered from the fright.

 

“You scared the hell out of me…”

 

“Bet you wish I’d done that earlier, don’t you?”

 

Sam could not help but snicker at Gabriel’s dark sense of humour. It felt good to laugh about his trauma, as silly as it sounded. Sam was glad that the archangel did not pity him for all the things that had happened to him in the past. That was one of the things that made Gabriel so amazing. No, Sam focus! You need to get over this guy, for God’s sake.

 

“It’s 1.30am… how come you’re not sleeping?” Sam enquired politely, switching the lights on and getting a glass out of the cupboard.

 

“I’m not tired” Gabriel replied, however when Sam noticed the dark circles under the archangel’s whiskey-coloured eyes he knew Gabriel was lying. Although the younger Winchester was not familiar with the experience, he imagined grace regeneration as a tedious and tiring process. Surely the archangel needed all the rest he could get… something else was bothering Gabriel. Probably the prospect of facing another nightmare made him reluctant to succumb to sleep.

 

Sam knew better than to point that out.

 

“Yeah, me neither. Me and Dean had a fight earlier…”

 

“Oh really? You want to talk about it?”

 

“Not really, no. It’ll be forgotten by morning. Just didn’t have the heart to apologize to him today” Sam offered the archangel a small smile as he finished his water in two large gulps, filling up his glass again when he was done. Gabriel hummed knowingly to himself.

 

“I don’t blame you. I haven’t apologised to brothers since I left about a millennium ago…”

 

“To be fair, no offence, but your brothers were dicks… and still are” Sam’s heart warmed when Gabriel snorted at the statement. “So listen uh… I can’t see myself falling asleep anytime soon and I was gonna watch a movie on Netflix. You care to join? I was thinking of stealing Dean’s popcorn”

 

Gabriel seemed to consider this option briefly, and Sam’s heart was in his throat as he waited for the archangel to answer.

 

“You had me at ‘your brothers are dicks’” Gabriel finally agreed, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Sam felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

 

“Awesome. I was thinking something like Kill Bill…” the taller man suggested, earning himself a derisive snort from Gabriel.

 

“Bitch please, we’re watching a Disney movie”

 

Sam did not argue with Gabriel. They ended up watching Beauty and the Beast and the Lady and the Tramp. Gabriel fell asleep halfway through the second movie. Sam let him sleep on his shoulder for the remaining of it. The younger Winchester would never admit that he had enjoyed feeling the heavy weight of Gabriel’s body leaning against him, and that he had only reluctantly disentangled himself from the archangel around 6am to go on his morning run.

 

To hell with his new resolutions. There was no getting over Gabriel. What was the point in trying?

 

TBC.


	4. Chapter 4

“Hey guys check this, I think I found us a case” Sam exclaimed excitedly as his eyes scanned the online article he had just found at an almost inhuman speed.

 

“Can I get a hallelujah?” Dean shouted from the kitchen. Cas looked up from the lore book he had been studying for the past hour, his characteristic frown grazing his elegant features.

 

“I don’t understand, why does he want us to praise the Lord? I highly doubt that my father lead you to this case, Sam…” the seraph enquired, his head tilted slightly to the side. Sam could not hold back a small smile at Cas’ question.

 

“It’s a figure of speech, dude. It’s just a way of expressing how excited you are about some good news… a bit like saying - ”

 

“Thank fuck for that, Sammy” Dean interrupted the younger Winchester’s explanation as he went to pull up a chair and take a seat between the seraph and his younger brother. Sam shot Dean his best glare while Cas’ frown merely intensified.

 

“I was gonna say thank God, but okay”

 

“What do we have to thank good old daddy for?” Gabriel’s familiar voice echoed through the bunker library, causing Sam to instantly shift his gaze to where the archangel was standing, holding a can of coke in his hand. The younger Winchester smiled when his eyes met Gabriel’s whiskey-coloured orbs.

 

“Nothing… I was trying to explain a figure of speech to Cas the non-crude way”

 

“I think I prefer Dean’s version, anyway” Gabriel remarked, taking a sip of the sugary drink. Sam merely sighed in defeat as he turned his focus back to the article he had found.

 

“Right, so get this. Jonesborough, Tennessee. Three people died under mysterious circumstances in the past five days. One of them, Jeremy Borrows, was found drowned in a urinal – “ Sam was interrupted by a small snort which the younger Winchester was convinced came from Gabriel. Deciding to ignore it, Sam carried on, “the second victim, a certain Anna McLeod, died of a – wait for it – spontaneous explosion. According to her husband, the only eye-witness to the scene, she blew up to about three times her size after they’d had their dinner before ‘popping like a balloon’”

 

“Sounds like our kind of job alright” Dean mused, shooting Gabriel a warning glare when the archangel failed stifle another snort. “Hey! You without the mojo, got something you’d like to say?”

 

“First of all, rude! Second of all, how is that not funny to you guys?” Gabriel asked, incredulity lacing his voice. Sam merely rolled his eyes at the comment before he acknowledged Dean.

 

“Yeah, sounds like this could be up our street. The last victim, a teenage boy called Barry Tremaine, was seemingly found dead in his basement by his parents. Again there was an eye-witness, his best mate from high school, who claimed he saw… now that’s weird, even for us…” Sam stated, pausing as he re-read the words on the screen just to make sure he had got them right. “Uh… the eye-witness claims to have seen an eight-legged horse stomp his friend to death…”

 

At these words, the whole bunker went silent. Even Gabriel did not make a sound, which almost surprised Sam more than the article he had just read. Discreetly casting a look at Gabriel, the younger Winchester noticed how all colour had drained from the archangel’s face. This made Sam feel very uneasy.

 

“Gabe? Are you okay, you look like you’re gonna be sick…”

 

“Hm? Oh yeah, right…” Gabriel’s expression changed suddenly from one of fear back to his usual flirty grin, “sorry Samshine, I was lost in thought for a moment there. What were you saying?”

 

“I was saying that this kid saw an eight-legged horse stomp his best friend to death… and that’s when you went white in the face. Is there something we should know?” Sam asked calmly, narrowing his eyes when he noticed Gabriel swallow audibly. The archangel’s fingers tightened around the can of soda, causing the soft metal to bend softly under the pressure. Something was making Gabriel nervous, and Sam did not like the idea that whatever was causing these deaths had the power to unsettle an archangel.

 

Suddenly, a thought hit Sam.

 

“Gabriel, do you think an angel could be doing this?” the younger Winchester asked, his voice soft but urgent. Gabriel’s eyes went wide at the question, and despite his earlier uneasiness, the archangel let out a loud bark of laughter.

 

“Please, none of my siblings are that creative. But you’re not too far off, Smashine… close to angels, but more powerful, and definitely more dangerous…”

 

“A very powerful trickster then?” Dean suggested.

 

“Gods” Sam blurted out as realization hit him. The younger Winchester felt his heart drop in his chest. Gods… he and his brothers had encountered some of them in their career as hunters. It had never been a pleasant experience. Gabriel grinned at Sam, tapping the tip of his own nose with his index before pointing that finger at the younger Winchester.

 

“Don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re just a pretty face, Samsquatch”

 

The comment made Sam blush, not that he would ever admit it.

 

“Gods… dammit, they’re right bastards” Dean muttered to himself, rising from his chair to pace back and forth as he thought about the best course of action. “Do you have an idea which God it could be?” the older Winchester asked the archangel without so much as sparing him a glance.

 

“Maybe… and if it’s who I think it is, it’s probably best for you to not investigate this case boys…” Gabriel warned, his tone serious and grave.

 

“Yeah mum, thanks a lot for the advice, just tell us who it is and let us worry about the rest okay?” Dean urged the archangel to reveal who he believed was behind this, but feeling that the Winchesters would not heed his warning, Gabriel went silent. He shrugged his shoulders and left the room as if the four of them had not just been in the middle of a conversation. “Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

 

“In my room to rest. If you want to go after that God, fine. But I won’t have your deaths on my conscience. If you want to know who it is, you’ll have to do some investigating, Sherlock”

 

“You can’t just drop a bomb like that and then leave, douchebag” Dean raised his voice at the archangel, who promptly turned his back on the older Winchester.

 

“Apparently, it seems that I can… good luck with your research”

 

Gabriel did not turn back when Dean called out his name, which only irritated the older Winchester further. Rubbing his face in frustration, Dean took several deep breaths before finally turning to his younger brother.

 

“You or Cas will have to go talk to the guy, because if I go I’ll end up killing him”

 

“I’m on it” Sam immediately volunteered before Cas had a chance to speak. Before the seraph could argue, Sam followed Gabriel into his room.

 

OoO

 

“This is just ridiculous, man” Dean told Cas after Sam had left the room, “why would he not tell us, huh? Why does he care if we die at the hands of whatever God this is, all he cares about is his own safety!”

 

“Dean, I think you’re being unfair to Gabriel. Did you never consider that maybe my brother did not wish for you to get hurt because he is grateful that you and Sam are letting him stay in the bunker?” Cas tried to reason, knowing that he would manage to soften Dean’s attitude towards the archangel eventually, but that it would take patience and hard work to do so. Right now, the older Winchester was not in the right mind set to think rationally.

 

“Why do you and Sammy still trust the guy? After all he’s done!”

 

“He made mistakes in the past, Dean. We all have. However, he’s an important ally to have”

 

“Without his mojo he’s pretty much defenceless” Dean argued back, sighing audibly as he plumped back into his chair.

 

“You are wrong, Dean. Unlike me, Gabriel has interacted his humans the whole time he was on Earth. He is more knowledgeable than any other angel about humanity’s ways and practices. And I would not put it past him that he knows his way around human weapons and physical combat. You need to give him more credit, you know?” Dean did not seem to have an answer to Cas’ defence of Gabriel judging by the older Winchester’s silence. Cas did not press the matter any further, instead leaving it to his human to pick up the conversation and lead it in whatever direction Dean wanted it to go.

 

“You know, Sam didn’t believe me when I said that something about Gabriel was off…” Dean suddenly admitted, breaking the silence that had settled between him and the seraph, “He just went off his head, man. There’s something strange about the way he acts around Gabriel. It’s almost like he… like he…”

 

“… likes Gabriel?” Cas suggested calmly, observing Dean’s reaction. The older Winchester went quiet for a couple of seconds as he considered that possibility.

 

“Yeah, like a friend though, right?” There was a hint of uncertainty in Dean’s voice, which made Castiel smile ever so slightly.

 

“I believe you know that your brother’s affection as regards Gabriel goes well beyond simple comradeship, Dean. I can see the way Sam’s soul shines brighter when Gabriel is in the same room. Having my brother around is making your brother happy, Dean”

 

Dean did know what to make of this. He had noticed the way Sam’s attitude changed around the archangel, but the older Winchester believed it was because his geeky brother had finally found someone he could nerd out with in his spare time. Sam and Gabriel had spent the past two weeks watching movies together in the evening. Dean had noticed, and even though he pretended he did not like the friendship blossoming between his brother and the trickster archangel, deep down he knew that Sam needed someone in his life who made him laugh and forget about the gruesome reality of their job. And if Gabriel was that someone, then there was not much Dean could do to change that.

 

“Cas, that secret Gabriel is keeping from us… is Sammy gonna be hurt when he finds out? Because if he does I will kill him no questions asked…” Dean threatened, only to be appeased by Cas’ hand touching the same shoulder the seraph had left a mark on after saving Dean from hell. The feeling of Cas’ hand on that particular spot always had the power to instantly bring peace to the older Winchester.

 

“Your brother and you will feel betrayed when you find out, but no the mere fact of knowing about it will not hurt you physically” Cas assured his lover.

 

“I have this feeling in my gut, Cas. A bad feeling. Man, I know I’m not a big fan of the douchebag right now, but if Gabriel was in serious trouble… I mean, I guess I do owe him one, you know? I just don’t want him to hurt Sammy anymore…” Dean admitted, biting his lower lip to stop it from twitching. 

 

“Something tells me that hurting Sam is the furthest thing on my brother’s mind right now, Dean. I’ll talk to Gabriel. Give me a couple of days”

 

Dean merely went to place his hand over Cas’ and sighed with slight relief at the seraph’s promise.

 

“Thanks Cas”

 

“Of course, Dean”

 

OoO

 

Meanwhile, Sam had followed Gabriel into his room and fully expected to find the archangel sitting on his bed or at the desk, but found the room empty once he stepped in. Sam’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he noticed that Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he had gone to Sam’s room by mistake. As the younger Winchester was about to leave to check on the archangel, a sound attracted Sam’s attention. It sounded like someone was… peeing?

 

“What the…”

 

The sound of the toilet being flushed only confirmed Sam’s suspicions, and his surprise intensified when he saw Gabriel come out of the bathroom. The archangel let out a little yelp of fear when he noticed Sam standing in his room, which only made the whole scene odder than it already was.

 

“Moose…” Gabriel said, sounding slightly out of breath, “I… what can I help you with?”

 

“Did you just go to the toilet?” Sam asked out of the blue.

 

“Uh, yeah. Low on grace, and that…” Gabriel explained, however not sounding the most convinced. Sam shook his head in denial before taking several steps towards the archangel, who properly _flinched_ away from him.

 

“For some reason, I don’t believe that. I mean, according to Dean and Cas you’ve been low on grace even before coming to the bunker. How come is it not regenerating the way it should?” Sam questioned, intent on getting answers out of the startled archangel. Gabriel’s eyes darted back and forth between Sam’s tall frame and the door, but the smaller man quickly gave up on the idea of escaping.

 

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Sam. I wish the process was quicker, believe me”

 

“I want you to be honest with me… what’s going on? Angels don’t need to empty their bladders…”

 

“They do when they have to drink to sustain themselves” Gabriel argued back, his tone turning defensive.

 

“Okay fair enough. But then explain to me how I managed to give you a scare just now. Even low on grace, angels can still feel when someone’s soul enters the room, right? Why couldn’t you?” Sam had Gabriel nearly pinned against the wall, and were the situation not so tense, he probably would have enjoyed the proximity. But right then, Sam needed answers.

 

“I was lost in thought. Besides, did your daddy never teach you to knock?”

 

“And what was that all about in the library, how come you recognised this God? Who is it, and why won’t you tell us?”

 

“I told you” Gabriel finally snapped, his voice dangerously low, “I don’t want to have your and your brother’s deaths on my conscience. If you want to go on this suicide mission, be my guest. I won’t be the one to lead you to your certain death”

 

“Gabriel, who is it? Please, if this God is killing innocent people… dammit, Gabe, it’s killing kids! How can you stand by that?” Sam noticed how Gabriel’s breathing became heavier with barely contained anger. The younger Winchester noticed the way the archangel’s muscles tensed and the way Gabriel balled his fists.

 

“I do not condone the killing of children, Samuel William Winchester. That is not what I stand for, do you understand me? I am Gabriel, the archangel of Justice, and you will show me some respect…”

 

Sam could not deny that angry Gabriel was properly terrifying, low on grace or not. The younger Winchester however did not break eye contact or falter under Gabriel’s glare.

 

“Some archangel of justice who lets the murder of children go unpunished…”

 

Sam instantly regretted his words when he noticed Gabriel’s anger melt away from his features only to be replaced with an expression of deep sadness. The archangel’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly as he let out a shaky breath, turning his gaze away from the taller man. Sam thought he saw the shimmer of unshed tears in the whiskey-coloured eyes.

 

“Gabriel, I’m so sorry…”

 

“Did it ever cross your short-sighted mind that the very simple reason I didn’t want to reveal who you were up against was so you three wouldn’t put your lives in danger?” Gabriel regained his composure quickly and went back to staring into Sam’s eyes with newly found fire. His voice grew louder and louder with each word the archangel spoke next, “I am sick and tired of you people picturing me as some weak and junkless piece of crap. I was once heaven’s most dangerous weapon. I could annihilate the whole continent of Europe if I wanted to. I ran from my family because my life was at risk! It had nothing to do with me running away from confrontation, I was running away from coercion. Michael would have forced me to join forces with him just in the same way he forced Raphael to do so! Do you not understand? I did not want to be Michael’s BITCH”

 

Sam felt like an idiot. Looking at Gabriel now, all he could see was a version of his younger self. Sam knew exactly how Gabriel felt. He understood the need to run away from a life his father and brother tried to thrust upon him, and which could never have truly made him happy. Sam empathised with the archangel, he really did. And he had been an ass not realize that Gabriel might have been going through the same shitty family drama for eons before he decided to run away. Who was Sam to judge him? He had done the same when he had fucked off to Stanford.

 

“Gabe, I’m…”

 

“No! It’s my turn to speak now. When I turned my back on the only family I had, I was alone. I was desperate and scared. I tried to find a new family to replace the one I left behind. In my desperation, I hung around with the wrong crowd and made the wrong kind of friends. Powerful ones, dangerous ones. Friends who with time turned to enemies and who would love to feast on my sorry ass right now. You, Dean and Castiel are my only allies, and even that is not a guarantee seeing as your brother hates me. Castiel is the only family I have left who will talk to me, yet I feel like I’ve disappointed him too. You think you know everything, Sam Winchester… but the truth is, you know nothing! You haven’t got a clue of how scared I am right now. So please… don’t make me feel like I deserve to be miserable! Not you…”

 

And suddenly, it clicked. Sam did not really know where the thought came from, or how his brain had managed to overlook all the evidence speaking in favour of the revelation that had just crossed his mind. His heart broke at the sight of Gabriel holding back tears of anger. Sam felt like the worst asshole in the world, and all he truly wanted to do was hug Gabriel. He wanted to apologise until he was so hoarse that he could not speak anymore and until the only remaining way to show Gabriel how sorry he felt was by kissing him. Sam did not want to be the reason for Gabriel’s sadness.

 

Sam did none of these things. Instead he nodded his understanding and turned his back on the upset archangel. His hand reached for the door knob and the younger Winchester had to fight the urge to run back to the archangel and hug him close to his chest like there would be no tomorrow.

 

“I’m sorry, Gabe. For everything,…”

 

When no answer came, Sam left meaning to head for his own room. Only somehow the younger Winchester instinctively found his way to his older brother. Dean was standing in the kitchen with Cas, making himself a roast beef sandwich and brewing some fresh coffee. Despite Cas’ presence, Sam decided that it was now or never.

 

“Dean…” he started saying, but the words died in his mouth. It was as if the whole truth was just too much for his brain to process. How could they have been so blind? It had been there all this time, and they had decided to ignore the facts. Sam felt like kicking himself.

 

“What’s up, Sammy? You look pale…” Dean remarked, abandoning his sandwich to make sure his brother was alright. Sam swallowed the lump in his throat before finally acknowledging his worried brother.

 

“I… I think I know what’s up with Gabe. You know how you said it was odd that his grace was not regenerating? And I basically acted like you were the world’s greatest dick…”

 

“Yeah… what about it?” Dean pressed on, a puzzled frown adorning his features. Cas mirrored his lover’s expression as he casually pushed himself away from the kitchen counter he was leaning against and took several tentative steps towards the two brothers.

 

“Dean, I don’t think Gabriel will ever get his grace back. I think… I think he… _fell_ ”

 

Dean was speechless for a moment, and unsure of how to respond to his brother’s statement, he turned his attention to Cas who stood awkwardly by them, looking like a child who had just been caught stealing from the cookie jar red-handed.

 

“Cas?” The unspoken question was crystal clear and seemed to hang above their heads like a big flashy neon-sign. Cas’ eyes darted between Sam and Dean for several seconds before the seraph sighed in defeat, lowering his head in shame at what he was about to do.

 

“You are right, Sam. Gabriel the archangel has fallen”

 

TBC.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter feels rushed, or if you can see any mistakes. Uni is extremely draining right now, and writing this story is my let out. So, apologies if my fried brain isn't functioning the way it should. 
> 
> Thank you for the lovely feedback i have already received from some of you, and take you so much for the kudos! You guys never fail to make my day!!
> 
> Enjoy this somewhat angsty chapter. 
> 
> x

“Gabriel fell? But when, was it at the same time as you?” Dean asked the blue-eyed seraph, trying to make sense of what Cas had just told them. Cas shook his head.

 

“I don’t think so. From what he told me it sounded more like a struggle between him and another… entity. I did not get much more out of him. He was pretty shaken when I found him, I did not want to make the trauma worse than it already was”

 

Sam still had not managed to get over his initial shock. Gabriel was human. It explained so much, yet raised a million other questions the younger Winchester wished he could ask Cas. His words were all jumbled up in his mind and he could not bring his brain to form a coherent sentence or question. He who was usually so articulate did not have the words to express how he was feeling about the whole situation. Gabriel was human. Gabriel was human. Why the hell would he hide that from them?

 

“Another entity? What, like another angel or…” Dean suddenly became quiet as realisation washed over him. His mouth formed a silent ‘oh’ as he began nodding to himself. “Is that why he doesn’t want us going after that God killing those people in Tennessee? Do you think he knows for sure who we’re up against?”

 

“I could not tell you with certainty, Dean”

 

“Great! So, that leaves us with a newly human angel who could be bait for a powerful being coming to get the rest of him. Peachy, great job! If Gabriel is gonna be a liability, we’ll have to think about – “

 

“Whatever you’re about to say, Dean, if it involves sending my brother away then there is no way I will allow this to happen” Cas interjected before Dean had time to finish his sentence, “I remember how I felt when you sent me away, and I know that the circumstances were different, but… I won’t let Gabriel leave. If he goes, I go”

 

“He won’t go” Sam suddenly blurted out, the eventuality of Gabriel leaving pulling him out of his trance, “we can’t let him leave, he’s pretty much fresh meat for… well, anything and anybody”

 

“Look guys, I know I’ve not always been the most accommodating of us, but come on” Dean cried out, his eyes darting back and forth between Cas and Sam, “do you really think I’m that big of a dick? Of course Gabriel is staying until we’ve figured out what’s happening. What I was gonna say before you dingoes cut me off is that we’ll have to think about doing some research into more powerful wardings”

 

The two other men had the decency to look remorseful at Dean’s words. Sam noticed the ashamed look on Cas face, and if the situation were not as serious and confusing, then the younger Winchester would have probably cracked a smile. The seraph hit Dean with his best apologetic puppy eyes, but Sam knew that in his heart Dean could never truly be upset with Cas.

 

“Are we going to confront Gabriel about this?” Sam asked nervously.

 

“Nah, not just now Sammy. Let the guy have tonight and we’ll talk to him in the morning. I’m about to hit the hay anyway” Dean announced, stretching his arms over his head and barely managing to stifle a yawn. Sam was relieved that he would not have to face Gabriel again that evening. He had done enough damage already, no need to let the former archangel know that he had blurted out his secret to the world and exposed him. Gabriel would never forgive Sam for this, the younger Winchester knew this. Sam would be lying if he said that the thought did not make him feel sick to his stomach.

 

Sam had a feeling sleep would be eluding him that night.

 

OoO

 

“SAMMY!” Dean’s booming voice was followed by the sound of his fist banging on Sam’s door rapidly, “WAKE UP, WE GOT A BIT OF A SNAFU HERE”

 

At first, Sam thought he was dreaming. His groggy mind was still trying to make sense of the words he had just heard, and the conclusion was that it was far too early for abbreviations. Only when Dean tried the door and managed to burst into his younger brother’s room did Sam shot upright in bed, his eyes wide and alert.

 

“What… what’s happ-“

 

“Gabriel is missing, come on get a jacket on. He can’t have gone far if he’s on foot. Surprisingly he had the decency not to steal baby”

 

Sam barely registered Dean throwing him a cosy jumper and jacket before disappearing again. The younger Winchester’s brain gradually started to understand what was going on, and instantly Sam’s senses were on edge. Gabriel was missing. He had left the bunker, and had decided to go on foot.

 

Shit.

 

“Dean, wait!” Sam managed to scramble out of bed and put on his jumper and quickly slipped into his sneakers before joining Dean in the hall, “what’s the plan exactly?”

 

“Cas is out there scanning the area, you and I are taking baby for a ride. He can’t have gone that far and we’ll be quicker than him…” Sam merely nodded, following Dean outside. As soon as the doors to the bunker opened, the feeling of cold wind whipping through their hair made both the brothers hiss in discomfort. “Holy crap, that’s cold. Let’s hope Gabriel did not freeze to death”

 

Sam’s heart dropped in his chest at Dean’s words and for one instant, it was not just the cold that froze him. What was Gabriel thinking? Why had he decided to leave in the middle of the night in this kind of weather? Sam could not help but feel a twang of guilt pull at his heartstrings. He should not have had a go at Gabriel the previous night. This was his fault; Sam had sent Gabriel out to his death.

 

“Hey Sammy, focus” Dean pulled him out of his spiralling by clapping his hands loudly only inches away from Sam’s face. The taller Winchester blinked quickly as if to clear his vision. “You were gone there for a minute. Now is not the time to overthink, alright? We need to find Gabriel before it’s too late… God knows what got into his head leaving like this…”

 

Suddenly, a thought hit Sam out of nowhere and the knot in the younger Winchester’s stomach seemed to tighten like someone was twisting his insides around a screwdriver. His whole body was shaken with a cold shudder as he met Dean’s now concerned look.

 

“Dude… what if Gabriel didn’t run away? What if something took him?”

 

Sam noticed Dean’s jaw tighten and his whole body seemed to tense up. The two brothers stood facing each other from each side of the car in silence. Dean was the first one to speak after rubbing his jaw to alleviate the tension there.

 

“One problem at a time, Sammy. Gabriel can’t have gone that far if he was on foot, maybe 15 miles at the most. Cas is on it, he’ll let us know exactly where Gabriel is and we’ll get him back to the bunker. You hear me?” Dean asked, eyeing Sam carefully. His brother’s words made the younger Winchester feel slightly better about the situation, although the worry was still eating away at him. As Sam got settled inside of baby, he reasoned with himself that Cas would have noticed anyone breaking into the bunker and would have alerted Dean at least. Gabriel had left of his own accord, and they would find him and help him. They had to act fast if they wanted to find the fallen archangel alive… _damn, Gabe, what in God’s name were you thinking?_

Neither Dean nor Sam spoke for the next half hour. The boys drove around the streets of Lebanon, scanning the area for anyone remotely looking like the former trickster. It was only after forty-five minutes of search that Cas suddenly appeared on the backbench of the Impala, startling both brothers within an inch of their deaths.

 

“Jesus Christ Cas…” Dean began, but was quickly interrupted by Sam asking about the fallen archangel.

 

“You need to act fast. Gabriel is in a pretty bad shape…” Cas told the brothers solemnly. “One of you will have to come with me now”

 

“Just zap us to where Gabe is, Cas” Sam urged the angel, holding out his hand to the seraph. Cas did not need to be told twice and within a second, the younger Winchester could feel his stomach churn unpleasantly as he was whooshed through space at an inhuman speed to where Cas had located Gabriel. As soon as Sam had adjusted to the ground under his feet – and made sure that he was not about to throw up – the younger Winchester scanned the area with his eyes. Cas had flown to a forested patch, probably the only trees for miles after that. On the iced-over ground lay a motionless body.

 

Gabriel!

 

“Cas, you need to heal him, now” Sam instructed sharply, his voice lower than usual as he lowered himself to the ground and checked for a pulse. Gabriel’s skin was icy cold, like he was already dead. No, there it was… a pulse, however weak it felt under Sam’s fingertips. “Please Cas, we don’t have much time”

 

“I can’t heal him, Sam, there are no wounds… I can only stabilise him until we get back to the bunker, after that we’ll have to keep him warm the human way. My grace doesn’t heal anything that are not actual wounds…” Cas explained, which seemed to Sam like hours wasted on talking while Gabriel was slowly dying from hypothermia.

 

“Just do what you have to do” Sam snapped, instantly regretting his tone but too worried about Gabriel’s health to care. He watched as Cas put his hand on his brother’s cheek briefly before retracting it, leaving behind a warm golden glow on the fallen archangel’s cold skin. Sam gently lifted Gabriel up from the frozen ground, carrying the unconscious body bride-style before meeting Cas’ eyes again. “Right, I need you to zap us back to the bunker man, can you manage that?”

 

“Of course” Cas agreed, placing his hand on Sam’s shoulder and within a second, the three of them were back in the safety of the bunker. This time, the younger Winchester truly felt bile rise in his throat, but he forced it back down again. He needed to take care of Gabriel first.

 

“Cas, can you help me with something? Can you please get some clothes from Dean’s wardrobe that would fit Gabe, preferably hoodies or generally warm clothes. We need to get your brother out of these” Sam explained, motioning with his head to Gabriel’s wet garments. Cas seemed to consider the instructions for a second before nodding, his soldier instincts taking over.

 

“I’ll be right back” he told Sam before disappearing. Meanwhile, the younger Winchester went to his room and gently lay Gabriel down onto the mattress before proceeding to undress the archangel down to his underpants. Doubt overcame Sam as he was about to pull down the soaked briefs Gabriel wore. It felt awkward doing this, but the younger Winchester knew he had to do it. Taking a calming breath, Sam got rid of Gabriel’s briefs as well and quickly covered him with the thick blankets to make sure he got some heat back into his body. He prided himself for keeping his eyes away from Gabriel’s naked crotch. Cas was quick to return with a heap of clothes, more than Sam had asked for. The younger Winchester could not help but crack a smile at Cas’ good-heartedness.

 

“Here, I brought a selection because I wasn’t sure which ones were best suited”

 

“It’s perfect Cas. Thanks so much”

 

Sam immediately began picking out the warmest clothes. It was more difficult getting the former archangel dressed while making sure he was still warm, but thankfully Cas volunteered to help with that. Afterwards, Sam repeatedly checked Gabriel’s pulse, making sure it was still there even though it remained barely noticeable. As soon as they had managed to get Gabriel into fresh clothes, Sam wrapped him up in his blankets again and finally allowed himself to relax.

 

Gabriel was safe. It was all that mattered for now.

 

OoO

 

Sam had stayed at Gabriel’s bed for several hours, making sure the fallen archangel was warm under the covers by adding a water bottle at Gabriel’s feet, and one under his pillow. Dean and Cas had offered to take turns in keeping watch so Sam could get some rest, but the younger Winchester had politely declined their offers. He needed to make sure Gabriel was alright, and he wanted to be there when the fallen archangel woke up. Sam felt like he owed him an apology for his harsh words.

 

The early signs of Gabriel coming back to his senses appeared around lunchtime. Sam nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the broken groan coming from the pile of covers next to him. Closing the book of lore he had been reading absent-mindedly, the younger Winchester brought his chair closer to the bed and observed Gabriel shifting weakly under the covers. Sam was relieved to see the whiskey-coloured orbs scan the room. Gabriel blinked several times to focus his vision, only to squint when the light from the ceiling hit his irises. Sam could not suppress an endeared smile: he had never experienced Gabriel in such a fragile state, and for lack of a better word, the former archangel looked adorable.

 

“Hey” Sam greeted him softly, not wanting to startle the other man. Gabriel’s eyes came to rest on the younger Winchester, however it took him several more seconds to recognise the man sitting at the side of the bed.

 

“Hey” Gabriel croaked, his voice raspy and hoarse from the cold and from not being used for such a long time. Sam shushed him softly as he noticed Gabriel’s pained expression.

 

“Don’t try to talk just yet, you’re very dehydrated. Can you sit up?” Sam asked, watching as Gabriel desperately tried to push himself up to a seated position. The other man merely nodded as he carefully rearranged the pillows behind him so he could rest with his back propped against them. Sam then handed him the bottle, making sure that Gabriel had a strong grip of it before letting go. Gabriel then proceeded to unscrew the cap somewhat clumsily before bringing the rim to his mouth, gulping large amounts of water in one go. As soon as Sam was about to advise the other man to slow down, Gabriel began choking and coughing violently. The younger Winchester immediately took the bottle off him and began tapping Gabriel’s back repeatedly. The blonde’s face turned red as his body fought the unfamiliar intrusion into the trachea. Sam felt powerless as he watched Gabriel cling to his throat as if it would somehow make a difference.

 

“Try to calm down, Gabriel, don’t fight it. You’ll be fine soon”

 

Indeed, Gabriel’s coughing progressively calmed down and once he had managed to even out his breathing, Sam gently pushed him back against the pillows. The younger Winchester took matters into his own hands and decided to stay in control of the bottle for now.

 

“How are you feeling?” Sam asked, eyeing Gabriel carefully.

 

“Miserable” Gabriel admitted, his voice still raspy, “and thirsty”

 

“Okay, but you need to not drink too much at once. Little sips… here” Sam brought the bottle to Gabriel’s lips and gently tipped it so that only small amounts of liquid entered the former archangel’s mouth at a time. Gabriel did not look impressed, but Sam did not really care about the other man’s wounded pride right now. What mattered was Gabriel’s well-being. “I know you’re not happy about this. Suck it up for now, will you?” Gabriel remained silent and glared at Sam when the younger Winchester retracted the bottle and put it away for the moment being. 

 

“I am not a child…” Gabriel complained. Sam ignored him as he brought his hand to rest on the blonde’s forehead. His temperature seemed to have come back to an acceptable level. Sam felt relief wash over him at the realisation.

 

“We heard commotion in here… everything alright?” Dean asked, popping his head through the door. Sam offered his brother a small smile.

 

“He’s awake and feels warmer”

 

“Really, Dean-o? ACDC?” Gabriel cried out as he took a closer look at the clothes he was wearing.

 

“You can be glad that I didn’t stick you in my shorts and tank-tops, dude. At least they kept you warm. And what’s wrong with ACDC anyway?” Dean asked defensively. Gabriel merely snorted in derision.

 

“You mean, what isn’t wrong with them?”

 

“Alright, you two, that’s enough” Sam put an end to their immature bickering, shooting both Dean and Gabriel a warning glare, “Gabe, you need to rest for another couple of hours, so no picking fights until you’re back on your feet, understood?”

 

“We can’t blame him, Sammy. It’s a proper condition, you know? It’s called the Napoleon complex, look it up” Dean added provocatively, flashing Gabriel his most innocent smile as the former archangel stuck up his middle finger to him.

 

“Dean, you need to stop teasing him, too. You two are just as bad as each other”

 

“He started it…” Dean argued, “he made fun of ACDC”

 

“I could have done worse… I nearly commented on how shitty your car looks”

 

Sam closed his eyes and sighed in annoyance at Gabriel’s statement. Great. Way to go, smartass. Almost mechanically, Sam got up from his chair and caught Dean just in time before his brother managed to jump at Gabriel’s throat.

 

“You don’t insult my baby like that ever again!” Dean threatened, “or else…”

 

“Cut the drama, Dean. How about you go find Cas and show him how to make a cup of tea?” Sam suggested, his tone leaving no room for argument. Dean was about to argue that it had, again, not been him who had started the fight, but Sam would have none of it. Gently, he pushed Dean out of the room and shut the door behind him.

 

“You know Gabe, you’re really not helping your case”

 

“He’s making it far too easy for me to lead him on…” Sam bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smirking. “I suppose I owe you an explanation…”

 

“Look, you don’t have to talk just now…” Sam reassured Gabriel, offering him a warm smile. The former archangel merely shook his head in denial.

 

“No, I do! The reason I left was not so you, Cas and Dean would come looking for me. I… I wanted to make things right. With the whole Jonesborough kids thing…” Gabriel admitted, a pink colour tainting his cheeks as he spoke. The smaller man swallowed audibly before carrying on with his speech, “I uh… I heard what you said yesterday about… the archangel of justice letting kiddos die… and I lashed out, but you were right. I have been a coward for far too long, and now I just… I realise that it’s too late for me to do the right thing. And as a result of that, people died… because of me being a junkless dick”

 

Sam could hear the anguish in the blonde man’s voice, and it broke his heart to see Gabriel so lost and upset. The former trickster, the once powerful archangel, had been reduced to this state of self-pity and self-hatred. It broke the younger Winchester’s heart, if he was honest.

 

“Gabe, please…”

 

“And I’m sorry for not telling you about being human. I… was scared you guys would send me away, after all I’m of no use to you without my powers. But I put you two guys at risk, and it was not fair of me. And I asked Cas to lie, and… look, I’m sorry. I really am”

 

“Would you stop that? Gabriel, you are not the one who should apologise. At least, you’re not the _only_ one who should be apologizing. I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did, alright? What matters is that you’re safe now. And we won’t send you away, I promise you that. Archangel or not, you’re still on our side and we owe you for the… whole Casa Erotica thing” Sam noticed a faint grin appear on Gabriel’s lips as the younger Winchester went to sit down next to where the smaller man rested. “I do know a way that you can make up for whatever you think you did wrong”

 

“Oh yeah? What’s that then?” the former archangel enquired, his interest clearly tickled but his voice still low and laced with guilt.

 

“You could tell me what God was causing those deaths in Jonesborough? That way you could get some justice for the lives lost… and we could get back at that dick in the name of the kids who have died as a result of his actions” Sam suggested, feeling rather cheeky but knowing that this was the only way to get some information out of Gabriel. The blonde seemed willing enough to stop whoever was behind this. Gabriel tensed at the question, and Sam was convinced for a second that he would not get anything out of the former archangel, but to his surprise the smaller man sighed in defeat.

 

“Loki… his name’s Loki”

 

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

“Loki?”, Sam repeated incredulously, almost as if he did not believe what Gabriel was telling him, “as in the pagan trickster God Loki?”

 

“The one and only, Sammykins. Me and Loki go way back… I actually saved him from his eternal punishment” Gabriel admitted with a hint of pride lacing his tone. Sam’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise, and no matter how many more questions were raised by that statement, the younger Winchester knew that he did not have the time to investigate them. The clock was ticking… he had to tell Dean.

 

“Right… so, how do we kill him?”

 

Sam’s question earned himself a derisive snort from Gabriel, quickly followed by a mocking laughter. The younger Winchester glared at the former archangel when the smaller man would not stop laughing at him. Biting the inside of his cheek, Sam refrained from making a hurtful comment. He had driven Gabriel away once, he was not about to repeat the experience.

 

“You really think you chuckleheads have a sinner’s chance in hell to kill a God? Sorry to burst your bubble, sugar. The only thing that can come close to hurting Loki are other more powerful Gods and archangels at full power. There is no way you’ll manage to get back at that backstabbing fucker without help of beings much more powerful than you and your brother… or Cas… or even me” Gabriel clarified, his tone getting more bitter and sad as his sentence progressed. For the first time since Sam found out about Gabriel’s humanity, the younger Winchester sensed how emotional the other man was about his situation. He knew there was much bigger fish to fry, but Sam could not bring himself to ignore the quivering of Gabriel’s lower lip and the way the former archangel’s jaw tensed as he tried to hide it.

 

“So you and Loki were close then…” Sam asked softly. Gabriel’s eyes momentarily went wide at the taller man’s words.

 

“I don’t know what you’ve been smoking Sammy, but whatever it was…”

 

“Backstabbing fucker?” Sam interrupted Gabriel suddenly, “sorry Gabe, but those are the words of someone who put all their trust and energy in someone and got hurt…”

 

“Don’t be stupid…” Gabriel dismissed the younger Winchester, sliding back under the covers and turning his back on Sam. The former archangel hid his face in the pillow, mumbling something about needing to rest. Sam was not one to be fooled.

 

“Oh, is that how it’s gonna be?” Sam teased with a small smile. When he got no reaction from Gabriel, the younger Winchester rolled his eyes and went to kneel on the other side of the bed where he noticed Gabriel’s pouty expression. The scene was so utterly adorable that Sam could not help but scoff. “You are not actually sulking, are you?”

 

“What if I am?”

 

“That’s childish…”

 

“Don’t care…”

 

“You’re being ridiculous” Sam snapped exasperatedly, followed by a sigh of defeat, “look Gabe, I know I was not particularly supportive last night and… I know that Dean has not made you feel very welcome here, but it’s me, alright? I… I want you to be able to trust me and tell me stuff”

 

“Trust you?” Gabriel questioned, raising one eyebrow suspiciously, “you mean to say that if I give you the story about my friendship with Loki you will not go running to Dean telling him all about it like you did when you somehow figured out that my grace was definitely gone?”

 

Gabriel’s words felt like a blow to Sam’s stomach, but he knew the smaller man was right. Sam had done nothing to prove to Gabriel that he could be trusted.

 

“I… “ Sam bit his tongue when he realised that he did not know how to finish that sentence. “I guess you make a good point”

 

Gabriel eyed Sam carefully, almost as if analysing his every movement and expression. The taller man could not deny that the scrutiny made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Sam stood up from his kneeling position and cleared his throat nervously before passing a hand through his hair. He tried to avoid meeting Gabriel’s hazel gaze, but he could feel the weight of it. Finally, Gabriel clicked his tongue in annoyance as he got out of bed while muttering what Sam recognised as Enochian swear words under his breath. Confusion overwhelmed the younger Winchester as he shot Gabriel a puzzled look. The smaller man stood next to the bed, hands on his hips, almost in a chastising manner.

 

“You need to learn how to control that god forsaken puppy look! You don’t even realise you’re doing it” Gabriel cried out disgruntled. Sam did not know how to reply to that statement, the frown on his face deepening as he tried to make sense of the former archangel’s words. Gabriel merely shook his head dismissively at Sam’s silence.

 

“I… what do you mean, I didn’t do anything?”

 

“You want me to tell you about Loki? Fine! Loki helped me hide from my brothers when Lucifer and Michael were busy beating each other up. We became friends, and after I saved your and your brother’s asses in the Elysian hotel, Lucifer killed all the other Gods present. Safe for Kali, of course. Among those Gods was Odin… now, I don’t have to draw you a picture Samsquatch, you’re a smart boy and you certainly know your pagan mythology… after that, things got a little heated between Loki and me. Happy now? Did you find out what you thought you would find out?”

 

Sam merely stared at Gabriel the whole time he spoke, feeling sorry for the former archangel. Although he knew better than to show this… even without his powers, Sam was convinced that Gabriel could potentially beat him up if he really wanted to. However, the younger Winchester was not entirely satisfied with Gabriel’s answer, because he could tell that the other man was not telling the entire truth. Call it trust issues or gut feeling, Sam knew there was more to the story and to Gabriel’s unwillingness to take Loki down.

 

“Actually, no… there’s more, is there? There’s something you’re not telling me” Sam pointed out, noticing the momentary flash of uncertainty in Gabriel’s eyes.

 

“You are unbelievable” Gabriel huffed, wrapping his arms protectively around his abdomen and turning his back on Sam… but not denying his statement, which the younger Winchester considered a small victory.

 

“Is he the reason why you’re human…?”

 

Suddenly, the room went completely still. Gabriel was as tense as a bitterly divorced couple in the same room having lunch, and Sam felt cold sweat run down the back of his neck. He had hit a sensitive string, Sam could tell. Gabriel seemed to have completely shut down, and the younger Winchester wondered if he had definitely crossed the invisible line of no going-back. His stomach churned at the possibility, but he would not declare himself defeated just yet. Sam took several cautious steps towards the stoic figure, stopping mere inches away from him. Gabriel did not react, so Sam decided to attempt physical contact by pressing his hand to Gabriel’s back.

 

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re just a pretty face” Gabriel whispered, looking shyly over his shoulder and offering Sam a mirthless smile. Sam chuckled gently, moving his thumb left to right in a soothing gesture. When Gabriel did not jerk away from the touch, Sam felt himself relax.

 

“I’m really sorry that happened, Gabriel” Sam admitted with sincerity, “I know pity is the last thing you want from me right now, but that’s how I feel and… I need you to know that you’ll be alright. As long as I can help it, I’ll make sure that you’re safe”

 

“Trust you to get all soppy, Samshine” Gabriel joked, leaning into the warm touch of Sam’s hand. The smaller man exhaled loudly and closed his eyes for a moment before turning around to face the taller Winchester. “You’re right. Loki is the reason why I’m… graceless. After the Elysian Hotel fiasco, I went to him for help again… help from Lucifer, this time. He agreed, but all he really wanted to do was kill me to avenge Odin’s death. Because, you know, totally my fault he died. Anyhow, Loki and his sons trapped me, had a bit of fun with me…”

 

“Torture?” Sam questioned curiously.

 

“The worst kind” Gabriel retorted dryly, “Loki and I, we were more than just friends, not even the best of friends. We became like brothers, he knew everything about me. My fears, my weak links, my guilty pleasures… I lost count of how many times I had to watch Michael and Lucifer die before my eyes, because despite everything they’re my brothers and I love them. I had to hear over and over again how spineless and worthless I was…  all this psychological crap until I finally snapped. Remember what I said about powered up archangels?”

 

“They have the potential to kill Gods…” Sam remembered musingly.

 

“Exactly… I snapped, and the full extent of my power dawned on Loki and his sons. I could have killed the four of them there and then. I had enough rage in me to blow up Hiroshima and Nagasaki a second time, and cause more damage. But I hesitated… I couldn’t kill the one man who had stuck around and helped me. He noticed, and that was my downfall…”

 

Gabriel’s shallow breathing was the only sound that could be heard for the several seconds that followed. Sam’s hand moved from Gabriel’s back to his shoulder, gently pulling the smaller man closer into Sam’s side. The former archangel did not fight him, then again he looked far too lost in thought to really care. Sam took advantage of their position to discreetly take in the smell of Gabriel’s hair; the scent of rain and pine was still overwhelmingly present considering that Gabriel hadn’t showered since they had found him earlier that day. Sam did not mind it too much.

 

“You don’t have to carry on, Gabe”

 

“Oh spare me the patronising tone, will you” Gabriel chastised, although his heart was not really into it. Sam was pleased to notice that the other man did not pull away from the comforting embrace. “You know, Loki wanted to sell me to some demons. He was strongly considering it. I don’t know if I would have preferred that to having my very essence taken away from me… it’s a question I’m still debating”

 

“You don’t want to be sold to demons, they would’ve killed you… or worse, tortured you within an inch of your life” Sam did not mean to sound so concerned, but the thought of Gabriel being at the mercy of demons was unbearable. The shorter man chuckled humourlessly.

 

“Because this is not torture? Being forced to roam this Earth as a powerless human? Being forced to live in shame as an archangel who has fallen from grace? I would be ridiculed by my brothers and sisters if they were to find out. Then again, I left heaven and probably don’t deserve any kindnesses…”

 

“Don’t say that, Gabe, you’re - ”

 

“Samshine, you really don’t have to worry about me” Gabriel declared sharply, finally pulling away from Sam, “you should worry about Loki. If he finds out that I prayed to Castiel to take me here, he will start to get antsy. Because if anyone can find a way to get my grace back from this bastard it will be you two asshats…”

 

“Woah hang on… what do you mean ‘get your grace back’?” Realising his mistake, Gabriel bit his lower lip and groaned in frustration as his eyes fluttered shut. Sam’s interest was instantly piqued at the other man’s reaction. “Gabriel, what do you mean? Why did you not say so before?”

 

“Oh Father, what have I done…” Gabriel muttered to himself, sounding annoyed.

 

“If you don’t tell me, I swear to God I’ll have Cas come in here, pin you down and read your mind!” Sam threatened, impressed at how convincing he sounded. Gabriel turned around and shot him a sceptic look, although the younger Winchester discerned the worry emanating from the fallen archangem.

 

“Oh you wouldn’t… besides, Cas wouldn’t ever do this to me. I’m his older bro, don’t forget that”

 

“He would do it if he knew the whole story… if he thought it was the only way to save you… don’t try me, Gabriel. We can do this the easy way or the hard way… your choice”

 

Sam stood with his arms crossed before his chest, waiting for Gabriel’s decision. The smaller man seemed to consider whether his opponent was bluffing or being serious. The concerned frown on his face melted away as Gabriel let out a defeated sigh.

 

“Fine! Yes, he has my grace. Extracted it with a syringe, and then disappeared on me. I didn’t mention it because for all I know, he gambled it away or sold it. I didn’t want to risk it, I’m human now and that means mortal. And I had no way of finding out… “ Gabriel admitted sadly while avoiding eye contact with Sam. The younger Winchester confidently walked towards Gabriel and spun him around by his shoulder, forcing the other man to look up.

 

“You’re not on your own anymore. Let us help you, Gabe. You need to tell the others and as a team, we can come up with something” Sam tried to convince the former archangel, but Gabriel merely shook his head.

 

“You won’t be able to…”

 

“Don’t finish that sentence. It’s insulting that you think this is beyond us. We stopped the apocalypse, for God’s sake. There ain’t no petty God that stands a chance against us, do you hear me? Right now, we are your only chance. And deep down, I’m sure you’re aware of this! And that’s probably why you prayed for Cas to get you here. There is no shame in asking for help”

 

Gabriel did not react. He merely stared at Sam with a slightly startled expression on his face, listening to the younger Winchester’s rant. The taller man patiently waited, both his hands holding Gabriel firmly into place. Sam was determined to help Gabriel get his powers back, and simultaneously to kill Loki for his crimes. He knew that together with Dean and Cas, they would be able to bring the pagan God down. It would not have been the first time they had crossed paths with ancient deities. How would Loki be any different? They stood a fair chance of succeeding, and Gabriel needed to understand that.

 

“One condition. I want to be involved in the planning! I know Loki better than any of you do, you need my expertise” Sam smiled at the statement, squeezing Gabriel’ shoulders encouragingly.

 

“Oh believe me, Gabe, you’ll be involved in more than just the planning of this. You are going to become a hunter! I’ll make sure you get the best training, I’ll be your personal coach” Sam’s smile faltered ever so slightly when Gabriel guffawed loudly, prying himself free from the taller man’s grasp.

 

“Samshine, no offence, but I don’t think you can teach me much. I’ve been training angel armies since the stars were made. If anything, you could take a page or twenty out of my book” Gabriel replied with conviction, the proud and almost arrogant look on his face reminding Sam of trickster Gabriel. The Gabriel the younger Winchester had totally fallen for all those years ago, even if he had never noticed it until much later on.

 

“We’ll see about that, old man” Sam let out a hearty laugh when he felt two pillows hit him in the head.

 

“I age like fine wine, sugar, thank you very much” Gabriel retorted sassily, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at Sam who felt himself blush a delicate pink, “besides, I could put my many years of experience to good use some day…”

 

Sam very nearly choked on his own spit, and he could swear he noticed Gabriel smirk out of the corner of his eye.

 

That cocky son of a bitch.

 

TBC.


	7. Chapter 7

“ _Messieurs, faites vos jeux_ ”, the smartly-dressed croupier instructed mechanically, the tone of his voice resembling that of a robot, mainly resulting from the repetitiveness of the job. Loki had never seen him in any of his casinos before, so the God assumed that this young boy had only recently been recruited. So eager to please, so desperate to keep the relatively well-paid job allowing him to pay his way in this mad world. All the other players around the table, whose faces revealed nothing of their intentions, started putting down their chips onto the green mat. Loki patiently waited, his eyes scanning the room in a bored manner. Tonight was very busy at the Lokasenna Casino in Monte Carlo, Loki’s latest addition to his worldwide chain. Very popular already, always a good sign.

 

“ _Monsieur_?” the croupier discreetly tried to get Loki’s attention. The Norse God’s amber eyes came to rest on the young man, their scrutiny clearly making the inexperienced dealer uncomfortable. Loki cracked a small smile as he pinched the grey chip between his index and middle fingers, delicately placing it over the 0 on the green mat. The croupier’s eyes went wide for the fraction of a second before the boy remembered the ethics of his job.

 

“ _Les jeux sont faits_ ” he announced, casting a nervous and admiring glance at the God. Loki’s smile never wavered as he stuck a bright red, strawberry-flavoured lollipop in his mouth. Every single player at the table was trying their best not to show their shock, or even their consternation, when they realised what Loki had done. Five-thousand euros on a 35/1 turnout… the look on these people’s faces promised to be hysterically amusing.

 

The young croupier spun the wheel, and instantly the air around the table was thick with anticipation. The several seconds it took for the roulette to come to a stop felt like hours to the anxious players, some of which still placed bets as the wheel spun effortlessly before their eyes.

 

“ _Rien ne va plus_ ”

 

Loki was patient, he knew to savour the thrill that each second brought him. A very human feeling, yet how intoxicating it was! The silence around the table was broken by uncomprehending gasps when they witnessed the little white ball land perfectly in the 0 slot. Loki’s smile grew as he re-adjusted his taupe hat on top of his head. Staring at the young croupier expectantly, he raised his eyebrows in a silent question as his eyes came to rest on the grey chip he had placed minutes earlier on the green mat.

 

“Impossible…” a man next to Loki whispered to himself, American by the sounds of it.

 

“No, good sir” Loki exclaimed dramatically after pulling the lollipop out of his mouth with a loud wet sound, “Improbable is the word you’re looking for”

 

“Son, you’re for sure the luckiest man I know”

 

“Bold of you to assume that I allow luck to dictate my life…” Loki whispered into the man’s ear before disappearing from the table, 175,000 euros richer. Not that money truly mattered to Loki, he would never be poor. Being a trickster had its advantages, after all. His feet naturally lead him to the nearest bar, where he ordered the most expensive whiskey on the menu. 

 

“Thank you, beautiful” Loki smirked at the faint blush he noticed on the young waitress’ face as a gorgeous smile graced her lips at the compliment. In her mid-twenties, or around that, Loki guessed. He winked suggestively at her, then took a sip of his drink. Tonight felt like a good night.

 

“Father…” a familiar voice called out to him. Loki turned around to face his son, a genuine smile softening his features.

 

“Fenrir, my child… what brings you here? I thought you were in Las Vegas for the time being” Loki enquired while he embraced his son close to him.

 

“Matters of greatest importance, father. I have information that might be of interest to you. Sleipnir claims he’s seen the traitor Gabriel roam the streets of Lebanon, Kansas…” Loki’s eyebrows momentarily furrowed at the revelation, but the God merely shrugged his shoulders to his son’s confusion. “I expected a different reaction…”

 

“Gabriel is no threat to us anymore, son. Without his grace, he’s no more dangerous than a clawless kitten. Do not trouble your mind with him” Loki advised, intent on dismissing the subject.

 

“He’s found refuge with the Winchesters, and another angel, Castiel”

 

Loki suddenly tensed at his son’s words. Winchester… he knew the name. Gabriel had mentioned the two brothers before. Brothers prophesised to bring about the Judeo-Christian apocalypse and to serve as vessels for archangels Michael and Lucifer to finally end their millennia-long quarrel. The same brothers that had a very notorious reputation among supernatural creatures alike.

 

“Father… should we be worried?”

 

“Not for now” Loki declared after a short silence, “but it’s probably best to keep an eye on them. Is Sleipnir still in Kansas?”

 

“Yes”

 

“Then tell him to find out what they’re up to” Loki ordered, downing his drink before slamming his glass on the bar counter. “and to report to me once he finds out anything. If that angel is planning anything remotely suspicious, I want to know about it, understood?”

 

“Of course, I’ll let him know” Fenrir said obediently.

 

“Gabriel the archangel will not hurt my family again if I can help it. Be assured that that’s a promise I’m determined to keep”

 

OoO

 

“I’m starving” Dean announced loudly as he examined the menu of the small road-side diner in Lebanon.

 

“Me too” Sam joined in, “I remember a time when salt and burns made me lose my appetite”

 

“You were always a weirdo” Dean commented, putting the menu aside as soon as he had picked his meal, “tonight is a special night, Gabe’s first successful hunt. Dude, I have to say you make an excellent FBI agent”

 

“Thanks, Dean-o. I happen to have some experience in role-play” Gabriel bragged, winking cheekily at Sam from across the table. Sam cleared his throat nervously as he stared at the menu, pretending he had not just decided seconds earlier to have a salad.

 

“Plus, you did an awesome job at keeping that ghost distracted while Sammy and I dug out the body. Honestly dude, I think I underestimated you. You did awesome” Dean complimented, oblivious to the little exchange that had just taken place. Gabriel merely offered him a grateful smile in return.

 

“Evening boys, what can I get you?” the waitress asked, sounding like she would rather be anywhere else than here serving three shady men. Sam ordered his Caesar salad and Dean ordered two double bacon cheeseburgers, one for him and the other one for Gabriel. Sam had desperately been trying for the past couple of weeks to convert the fallen archangel to healthy food… to no avail. Gabriel had a sweet tooth, and additionally Dean’s eating habits had rubbed off on him. Sam knew the fallen archangel had gone to the dark side, and there was no coming back from there.

 

“So, any new leads on Loki?” Sam enquired once the waitress had left. Gabriel instantly tensed at the name, while Dean merely shrugged his shoulders in a disinterested manner.

 

“Cas said he was working on it. Must not be easy to trace a pagan God…” the older Winchester mused out loud.

 

“Especially a trickster who doesn’t want to be found” Gabriel added solemnly, “and even if we knew where he was, there’s no way we can take him on even with Cassie on our side”

 

“Did Cas not say he would try to locate your grace, too?”

 

“I’m afraid that’s easier said than done, Samshine” Gabriel admitted sadly, “but I suppose if he did manage to find it, the odds might be in our favour”

 

The three men sat in silence for the minutes that followed the fallen archangel’s sentence. It was by far not an uncomfortable silence, and the three men enjoyed the peace that came from it. Sam still felt flush from when Gabriel had so obviously flirted with him earlier. It had been two weeks  since he had found the fallen archangel and nursed him back to health. Since then, something in their relationship dynamic had changed. Gabriel seemed more aware of Sam’s attraction, and the little bastard was enjoying every minute of it. Sexual puns, ‘unintentional’ physical contact, and those damn winks… Sam knew for a fact that sooner or later he would not be able to hide his desire from the fallen archangel any longer. It was but a matter of time until Gabriel’s flirtations managed to crack his shell.

 

Their meals arrived a good fifteen minutes later. Dean and Gabriel wolfed their burgers like they had not eaten in years, while Sam merely rolled his eyes at the unrefined and animalistic way the two men were gulping down their meals. The younger Winchester ignored his brother’s comments on his ‘hippy ways’ as he savoured his Caesar salad, trying to ignore the way Gabriel was seductively sucking on the straw as he took a sip of his strawberry milkshake.

Which employee in this diner had decided that it was a good idea to give this man a straw in the first place? Sam would like to have a word with them… or send them flowers, either way. Gabriel’s action started to have an effect on him judging by the way his dick was twitching every time he caught a glimpse of the fallen archangel.  

 

“Sammy? Hey, focus” Dean called out to him when Sam visibly ignored what his older brother was telling him. Sam blinked several times in confusion before clearing his throat to erase any sign of arousal in his tone.

 

“Huh?” he said in a rather undignified way.

 

“I said I’ll leave you guys to pay the bill while I go on a supply run. Do you have cash on you?”

 

Leave him and Gabriel alone? When Sam was clearly worked up? The younger Winchester merely nodded, going back to eating his salad in the hope that his growing boner would disappear. Really, there was nothing sexy about a salad… not that his groin shared the same opinion, which nearly made Sam groan in frustration.

 

“Alright, I’ll meet you guys here in ten minutes. Be outside, I just want to get home as quickly as I can” Dean instructed as he rose from the bench and headed for the exit, leaving Sam and Gabriel alone in the corner booth. On his way, Sam noticed with amusement how his older brother tripped over a lone diner’s foot, apologising profusely on his way out.

 

“So here we are, alone at last… Not the most romantic of settings, but it’ll do” Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows as he spoke those words, clearly relishing in the way he made Sam squirm. The younger Winchester placed his cutlery on his empty plate, wishing he had volunteered to go on the supply run. A jittery smile graced his lips.

 

“Yeah, it’s not exactly the Ritz in here” was all the younger Winchester managed to come up with as a come back. Damn it Sam, why are you acting so dorky? “Uh… Dean was right, you know. You did very well on that hunt”

 

“Well thank you, Samshine. I think I look really dashing in a suit, don’t you?” Sam realised that he had failed at diverting the attention from him.

 

“Uh, if you say so, I mean… it’s just a black suit” the younger Winchester replied, reminiscing the memory of Gabriel’s ass in those tight black pants. This was definitely _not_ helpful, and his erection merely grew at the thought.

 

“Don’t ditch it before you try it…” Gabriel retorted with a grin on his face, implying more than he was letting on. Sam quickly caught the waitress’ attention as she walked past, asking for the check in a desperate attempt to leave this confined space as quickly as he could. Why he was suddenly uncomfortable with the thought of Gabriel flirting with him, Sam did not know. He was also not in the position to think straight considering the growing bulge in his pants. He would have to find a way to hide it from everyone around them once he got up.  

 

Unexpectedly, Sam felt something touch the inside of his thigh. His hunter instinct instantly kicking in, the younger Winchester reached for his gun only to be stopped abruptly by a soft shushing. Gabriel flashed him a reassuring smile, winking at Sam suggestively.

 

“It’s just me, Samshine. Sit back and relax…”

 

Sam did not know what to make of the situation. A quick glance at his crotch revealed Gabriel’s sock-clad foot pressed against the fabric of his jeans, gently making its way up to the throbbing erection Sam was sporting. What was happening here? And what was the former archangel thinking doing this kind of thing in _public_ , where everyone could _see_ them?

 

“Uh…” was all that came out of Sam’s mouth before he had to stifle a soft moan when Gabriel’s foot finally reached its destination. “Gabe… holy shi…”

 

“Tut, tut, tut, Samshine… remember who you’re being blasphemous around” Gabriel gently chastised, his voice lower than usual which sent a thrilled shiver down Sam’s spine. The younger Winchester’s head began to spin when Gabriel applied some pressure to his hard shaft.

 

“The… the waitress…” Sam noticed the young woman return to their table, holding their check in her hand. The taller Winchester was rather impressed at how quickly and discreetly he managed to pull his jacket over his crotch to hide the obscene scene that was taking place under the table. Thankfully, the waitress did not seem too interested in the two men sitting at that table, and after throwing the check their way, she turned her back on them eager to return to her phone.

 

“Gabriel, what… are you… fuck” Sam hissed, trying to hide his arousal by glaring at the fallen archangel. Gabriel merely shrugged his shoulders, looking as innocent as ever.

 

“Footsie… don’t pretend you’re not enjoying this… I can feel that you are, and you know it’s a sin to lie to an archangel…”

 

“Former… archangel” Sam argued. Gabriel raised one eyebrow at this comment, almost as if pondering Sam’s insolence.

 

“Oh, is that how it’s gonna be?” the former archangel asked, retracting his foot ever so slightly. Sam was quick to grab a hold of it before Gabriel managed to lower it to the ground, pressing the smaller man’s foot against his now very hot erection. The smaller man smirked, satisfaction written all over his face.

 

“Oh, wipe that smug look off your face…”

 

The moment was interrupted by the sound of Dean’s horn calling Sam and Gabriel outside. Had that already been ten minutes? Damn you, Dean. Sam shot Gabriel a pleading look, but that did not prevent the smaller man from definitely putting an end to their little game.

 

“Hm, that’s a shame” Gabriel remarked as he stood up and put his jacket on. Sam could not help but stare at the other man’s body as he stood in all his glory for the younger Winchester’s eyes to behold. Gabriel smirked when he noticed. “Come on, Sammykins… your brother awaits”

 

Sam huffed in indignation as he made sure to cover his crotch before walking out of the diner, closely followed by Gabriel. Neither men noticed the way the lone diner’s eyes followed their every movement as they climbed into the Impala and drove off into the night. The stranger dialled a saved number on his phone and brought it to his hear. After several rings, a voice answered him.

 

“What did you find out?” the voice asked the stranger.

 

“The Winchesters and the angel… they’re planning to find his grace and to come for you, father”

 

OoO

 

Loki shook with anger at the revelation, and the thousand dollar phone he held in his hand shattered in a million pieces as he tightened his hold around it in a vain attempt to contain his rage. Pacing back and forth, the Norse God threw a table to the other side of the luxurious room, cracking the brick wall in the process. The bay windows burst as the air filled with electricity, and the young woman whom Loki had enjoyed the company of for the past hours let out a terrified shriek.

 

“GO” Loki bellowed, snapping her into oblivion, “FENRIR”

 

Loki’s eldest son, who stayed in a room adjacent to his father’s, came running to Loki’s side as soon as he heard the commotion. A quick glance around the room told the demi-god that his father was beyond pissed… and only two beings could bring out such destructive rage in the trickster God; Odin, and Gabriel.

 

“Can you believe this, Fenrir?” Loki’s voice had grown dangerously calm, something Fenrir knew was not a good sign, “The angel I took in, the angel who saved my life and who benefited from _my_ protection for all those years, the angel whom I _spared_ despite him being responsible for killing my father… has the audacity to plan a vendetta against me. _Me_!”

 

“That is unacceptable, father. Speak the words, and I will find the angel and kill him”

 

“Kill him?” Loki considered out loud, his voice almost mocking, “no, that would be far too easy. I thought I was being merciful, you know? I took away his grace, granted, but he had to be punished somehow. I saw Gabriel like a brother, Fenrir. I couldn’t bring myself to kill him in the end, I just couldn’t. I made him human, yes. Does he realise that I could have sold him to Asmodeus instead? For a very generous price, at that”

 

“I’m sure he doesn’t understand how bountiful you were to him, father”

 

“No, indeed” Loki confirmed, suddenly coming to a halt. “Well, if he wants to play dirty… I, too, can play dirty. I will find him myself… and I will make him regret the day he decided to plot behind my back to kill me after I showed him mercy”

 

With those words, Loki clicked his fingers and disappeared.

 

TBC.  


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I so STRUGGLED with the end of that chapter. Nothing I wrote felt right, and I'm still not entirely happy with it. Oh well... hope you guys enjoy it anyway.

“For the last time, Gabriel, I’m not driving to the shop just to get you candy. It’s almost midnight, and I want to go to my bed. It can wait until tomorrow” Dean told a sulking Gabriel in his best dad voice. His words did nothing to appease the pouting archangel. Dean would not fall for it, though.

 

“I don’t have any money, and I’m hungry” Gabriel complained, sounding scarily close to a child about to throw a temper tantrum.

 

“Well, eat something else. We still have leftover pasta in the fridge, and Sam has plenty of rabbit food that needs to be eaten up. I think there’s even pretzel sticks lying around somewhere, you won’t go hungry” Dean assured the other man, his tone clearly indicating that this conversation was over. The older Winchester had not counted on Gabriel’s stubborn determination.

 

“Uno, I physically can’t eat Sam’s rabbit food without gagging, and I’ve got plenty of experience with gagging reflexes believe me. Dos, you’re being mean and unfair. I lost the ability to snap candy into existence, that’s a soul-crushing thing to befall a defenceless creature like me. Won’t you have pity for a fallen archangel who just wants something sweet in his life to make up for all the repressed bitterness?”

 

“I don’t negotiate with terrorists” Dean turned his back on Gabriel, intent to leave the other man behind and go to his bed like he had planned half an hour ago before this stupid argument started. “I promise I’ll get you candy tomorrow, okay?”

 

Dean did not wait for an answer before disappearing into the hall. Gabriel stood dumbfounded at the older Winchester’s lack of empathy for the emergency at hand. Huffing indignantly, the blonde decided to retreat to his bedroom and call it a night as well. They had not heard from Cas in a couple of days, and although Gabriel knew better than to worry about his brother, he could not help the nagging feeling that kept him awake every night. Cas had all his powers still, and he was by far not a helpless or weak angel… after all, he had benefited from the best training in heaven, if Gabriel could say so himself. His little brother would be fine, there was nothing to worry about.

 

Why his father had decided to create this mental turmoil known as anxiety was beyond Gabriel. And even if God had not intended to create it, the condition of mortality was certainly enough to develop such feelings over a life-time. How humans coped with all these worries and fears associated with short life-spans was incomprehensible to Gabriel. He started admiring the humans more with each day he spent as one of their own. There were some tough cookies among them, Dean and Sam being perfect examples of how this fragile species could survive despite the hardships and post-traumatic stress disorders they had developed over the years.

 

Gabriel’s mind easily travelled back to the thought of Sam. The younger Winchester had been strangely distant since the incident at the diner earlier that week, and Gabriel started to feel guilty at how openly he had displayed his affections. Sam had not mentioned what had happened and had avoided Gabriel ever since. The former archangel would be lying if he said that he did not mind. He did mind! Did Sam truly think Gabriel had not noticed the lingering gazes, and the awkward encounters in the halls, even the blushes and the furtive glances across the table? Gabriel might be graceless, but he was certainly not stupid or naïve, especially when it came to sexual attraction. Hell, sex was the one thing Gabriel understood about humanity. He knew how to handle sexual affections better than anything else. It baffled him that after all the hints Sam had dropped, the younger Winchester had started giving him the cold shoulder.

 

“Hello, brother”

 

The deep voice that suddenly broke the silence of Gabriel’s bedroom caused the blonde to squeal in the most undignified fashion. The fact that Cas had been the one to interrupt his musing did nothing to appease Gabriel’s racing heart. Gabriel shot his younger brother an irritated glare, dramatically placing his hand over his heart as he tried to catch his breath.

 

“Damn, could you not have called first? You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Cas’ eyes narrowed in confusion at his brother’s statement.

 

“That’s not how heart attacks usually occur…” he told Gabriel, who merely rolled his eyes.

 

“Oh, believe me, I’m probably around forty-five human years old… I think my heart is more fragile than you think, Castiel” The look of utter panic on the seraph’s face would have almost been comical if Gabriel was not still recovering from his shock. Noticing that he had somehow managed to upset his brother, the fallen archangel managed a reassuring smile. “I was joking, Cas. It’s fine, you just startled me”

 

“I will try not to do so in the future. I can sense that Sam and Dean have already settled down for the night. I do have some important information to share with them, but it can wait until the morning. I wanted to talk to you first, anyway”

 

Gabriel raised one eyebrow, waiting for Cas to deliver his news, but clearly the seraph did not get the message.

 

“Well… do you need a written invitation, or something?” Gabriel asked snippily, instantly regretting his tone. If his words hurt Cas, the seraph did a good job at not showing it.

 

“I have traced your grace, brother. It’s still out there”

 

To say that Gabriel was surprised was an understatement bordering on euphemism. Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat or three as he processed the information his brother had just given him. For a good several minutes, the blonde could not speak, not for a lack of words but rather because there were too many questions whisking about in his mind. The sheer intensity of the situation made him feel light-headed to the point where Gabriel had to sit down or risk fainting. Cas shot his brother a worried glance.

 

“Gabriel… is everything alright? Do I need to call Dean and Sam?”

 

“No” Gabriel snapped, suddenly very aware of what was going on, “not just yet. I… where?”

 

“Marfa, Texas. A demon has it, from what information I could gather on him, he bought it off Loki not long ago. I would have faced him, but he has adequately angel-proofed the building he’s residing in. I believe even an archangel would have trouble getting in there”

 

“Truly not surprising considering he keeps archangel grace and dad knows what else in there…” Gabriel commented, not allowing himself to hope yet. “Texas… truly not that far away…”

 

“Sam and Dean will know what to do about it, however I think they will need plenty of rest for this case. That demon is very powerful, they might struggle to take him down” Gabriel smiled knowingly.

 

“I’m surprised that you still underestimate those yahoos after all you’ve been through with them. They’re not just good at what they do, they’re the best. If anyone can get my grace back it’s them”

 

Cas merely nodded his approval. Somewhat hesitantly, the seraph went to sit next to Gabriel on the single bed. The two brothers sat in silence momentarily before Cas broke the silence once again.

 

“I'm glad to see that you've adjusted to your life as a human with the Winchesters. You are certainly handling things better than I did” Gabriel did not know at first how to respond to Cas’ ice-breaker, but clearly his brother was not ready to leave him yet and Gabriel was curious to figure out the seraph’s agenda.

 

“In all fairness, baby bro, you were kind of left to fend for yourself. I was lucky that you answered my prayer that day when Loki took my grace, or I wouldn't be coping so well today” Gabriel did his best to sound grateful, however he could not hide how uncomfortable he felt in serious situations. His usually jolly and good-humoured personality was useless to him now.

 

“Dean needed some time to get used to the idea of having you around, but I have a feeling that he started accepting you as part of the family” A mocking snort escaped the blonde man’s lips effortlessly.

 

“I highly doubt that, Cassie. Dean-o tolerates me now that he knows I can be useful to their cause, but if anything he's only started accepting me as part of the furniture”

 

“Dean does not easily show his emotions, but I know him better than anyone. We do share a more profound bond. He likes you, Gabriel. He just does not want to admit it to himself” Cas tried to reassure Gabriel, although the fallen archangel did not really understand why his brother bothered. It was not like Dean’s approval was what Gabriel was after. As far as he was concerned, Dean merely tolerated him because of Sam, and the same was true for Gabriel.

 

“If you say so, brother” came the dismissive response. Gabriel hoped that Cas would get the hint and leave him alone. Not that he would manage to get any sleep tonight.

 

“Sam on the other hand…” The smaller man’s attention was instantly piqued at the mention of the younger Winchester’s name.

 

“What about him?” Gabriel had not meant to sound so defensive, and he prayed to his father that Cas would not comment on it. Miraculously, the angel refrained from doing just that… or did not pick up on it, either way.

 

“He seems to care a lot more about you than he is letting on. I can see the way his soul seems to glow happier when he's around you”

 

“Oh really?” Gabriel drawled sarcastically as he rose from the bed, “He has a strange way of showing his affections. Maybe times have changed, maybe instead of expressing their feelings humans have evolved to play hard to get and avoid the object of their affection as a form of mating ritual?”

 

“I don’t believe that’s how it works…” Cas admitted, his characteristic head-tilt a tell-tale sign of his puzzlement. Gabriel huffed in frustration at his brother’s innocent naivety.

 

“It was just a joke, Cas” Gabriel passed his hand through his hair and let out an irritated sigh of defeat, “Sam has been ignoring me all week. I doubt he enjoys my presence anymore”

 

“Oh, I see… have you done anything to offend him?” Gabriel did not deem it wise to tell his brother about the diner incident for Cas would undoubtedly tell Dean, and the last thing Gabriel needed was a pissed off Dean in protective big brother mode. The smaller man merely shook his head.

 

“It’s all good, Cas. I’m sure we’ll manage to get along somehow…”

 

Gabriel wondered if he was right in assuming so. Without his grace, he could not tell for certain what other people around him were feeling, and he found that rather inconvenient. Reading other people’s minds or perceiving the slightest changes in attitudes had always given him a clue as to how to interact around other humans. Without his powers, he was left to guess how Sam felt about him, and that realization made the former archangel really uncomfortable.

 

“Pie…” Cas suddenly blurted out.

 

“Excuse me?” Gabriel cocked one eyebrow in confusion.

 

“When Dean is upset with me, I usually get him a pie. The flavour is irrelevant, he just loves pie so much that when I offer it as a token of peace, he instantly forgives my misdoings” the seraph explained, seemingly proud of the solution he had come up with. Gabriel could not help but crack a soft smile at his brother’s innocence. Castiel had always been a peace-maker, a compromiser… much like Gabriel. No matter how hard Michael and Raphael had tried to train Cas and countless other fledglings after him to become obedient little soldiers devoid of free will, some angels like Castiel had managed to keep their peace-loving nature intact. The thought warmed Gabriel’s heart, and took away some of the guilt he had felt ever since leaving the fledglings in his care.

 

“Sam doesn’t eat pie because ‘it’s too sugary, Gabe’ and ‘it’s so unhealthy, Gabe’” the blonde man mimicked Sam’s voice, rolling his eyes for good measure, “but I see your point. It’s just… even if I did come up with an idea, I don’t have my trickster powers anymore. I’m not allowed to use Dean’s pimp mobile, and Sam won’t let me leave the bunker without a tracking chip…”

 

Cas considered Gabriel’s words momentarily, his eyes staring intensely at the fallen archangel. Gabriel now understood why humans thought that certain angels could give off a ‘creepy’ vibe.

 

“I could always get things for you. As long as they’re not too obscure or dangerous to procure, I’m sure I could spare a minute to run errands for you” Cas offered, instantly triggering an excited response from the slightly smaller man in front of him.

 

“Why, thanks Castiel. I can safely say that out of them all, you’re definitely my favourite sibling” Gabriel promised, his hazel eyes glinting with mirth and child-like anticipation. He knew exactly how to apologise to Sam… he just needed some time to get everything ready.  

 

OoO

 

 Sam could not remember the last time he had sneaked into Dean’s bed at night. He did not enjoy the idea of doing it now, especially when his concerns seemed meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but this was what Sam was used to. Whenever he had something on his mind, he would sit on Dean’s bed and wake his brother up so he could get it off his chest. It felt comforting knowing that his brother would always be there for him, and now more than ever the younger Winchester needed reassurance and guidance.

 

“Dean…” Sam whispered, shaking his older brother slightly. Dean merely groaned in his sleep and turned away from where the taller man sat on the bed. Sam nudged him again with more urgency, “Dean, please wake up”

 

“Jefferson Starships” Dean cried out, a confused look on his face when he took in the scene before him. Sam offered his brother an apologetic smile for waking him up. “Sammy? What’s wrong?”

 

“Don’t worry, we’re safe. It’s just… remember when we were kids I used to talk to you when something was on my mind?” Dean nodded groggily as he clumsily switched on the lamp on his night stand. The older Winchester squinted when the light hit his tired eyes.

 

“Yeah, what about that?”

 

“Well… I have something on my mind, and I want to talk about it” Sam explained, changing his position so he sat cross-legged on Dean’s bed. The older Winchester blinked several times as if trying to make sense of Sam’s words.

 

“Alright, shoot then! What’s up?” Sam suddenly did not know where to start, despite having gone over what he wanted to tell Dean a million times before going to his older brother’s room. All the conflicting feelings about Gabriel and the scene at the diner came rushing into his mind, mingled with the anger at having been ignored by the former archangel since that night.

 

“Gabriel is such a dick”

 

This was not in the least what Sam had planned to tell Dean, and the surprised expression on his older brother’s face only confirmed how absurd it had been to utter such a blatantly obvious statement. Dean cocked an eyebrow, sitting up so he could face his brother properly.

 

“Yeah, I think we all knew that, but seriously Sammy? I literally just convinced myself that he’s a half-decent guy when he wants to be… for your sake, more than anything” the older Winchester admitted, sounding slightly irritated.

 

“Yeah, well… turns out you were right to be suspicious of him. He’s just…” Sam could not end his sentence, merely sighing in frustration and passing a hand through his hair.

 

“Sammy? Come on, what did he do?” Dean asked, curiosity clearly getting the better of him. Sam bit his lip, feeling nervous at how his brother would react to the revelation Sam was about to spring on him.

 

“Alright, I’m gonna tell you everything, but you have to promise me to stay calm and not freak out, okay?” Sam could see the hesitation in Dean’s eyes.

 

“Sammy…” the older Winchester started, but Sam bluntly interrupted him using his best pleading expression.

 

“Dean, please!”

 

“Fine, fine!” Dean gruffly agreed, “Just tell me what happened already”

 

“Okay, so… after TV Land, I sorta kinda maybe had a teeny tiny little crush on Gabriel…” Sam stopped there to gauge his brother’s reaction, but to his surprise Dean merely muttered a small ‘mhm’. “And after he died at the Elysian hotel, I felt really… well, sad I guess. And I was very glad when Cas brought him back here because, you know, I sorta hoped that we could be… more”

 

“Mhm…” All colour had drained from Dean’s face as he absent-mindedly nodded his understanding. Sam wondered if his older brother was listening at all, or was still focusing on the crush part of the story.

 

“And last week at the diner, after the salt and burn… When you went to the gas’n’sip down the road, we kinda uh… Got more intimate” Sam glared slightly at Dean when his brother’s face momentarily contorted into a disgusted expression, “Really? I didn’t even go into any details…”

 

“Please, spare me…” Dean quickly interjected, which had Sam rolling his eyes so hard he could almost see his own brain.

 

“Anyway… then you arrived, and we had to stop and go back to the bunker. And after that, there was nothing. No follow-up, no ‘hey Sam, wanna finish what we started in the diner’, not even a word… okay, would you please stop nodding like you’re some kind of bobble head and actually say something meaningful?” Sam knew he should not have snapped at his brother, but Dean’s apathy was making him nervous. He had not expected Dean to be on board the whole ‘having a crush on Gabriel’ train, but Sam had hoped that his brother would make an effort for his sake.

 

“Right uh… this is all very unexpected and…” Dean’s voice was higher than normal and the look in his eyes reminded Sam of a deer in the headlights. His brother had no idea how to deal with the situation at hand, and were Sam not as upset about it all, he would have found Dean’s cluelessness comical. “I guess you’re right, he’s being a dick to you?”

 

“You wouldn’t be worth two cents as a therapist, you know that?” Sam sassed his brother, ready to leave Dean’s bedroom when he realised how stupid it had been to talk to Dean in the first place. His brother was the most emotionally constipated person on this planet, what did Sam expect?

 

“Sammy, wait” Dean called out to his brother, thinking about what to say next, “look, I know I ain’t a doctor Phil, but man what do you want me to say?”

 

“You know what Dean, forget about it. I should’ve known it was a bad idea telling you about it all”

 

“No, hang on… uh, these feelings you have for Gabriel… I mean, is it a high school girl kinda crush, a friends-with-benefits situation or the real deal?” Dean asked his brother point-blank, which took Sam by surprise and made him feel jittery. He had avoided thinking about the extent of his feelings towards Gabriel, and he was not about to delve deep into his soul to find out. Not with Dean present, anyway.

 

“I don’t think that’s any of your business” Sam knew he sounded defensive judging by Dean’s unimpressed expression.

 

“Look, you came here for advice, right? I need to know if this thing is just about sex or if you have genuine feelings for the guy”

 

“Dean, just drop it, okay? Why does it matter if I have feelings for Gabriel? He’s still being an ass regardless” Sam argued, trying to keep his voice down so he would not wake Gabriel.

 

“Listen man, all I’m trying to say is that if this goes beyond a sexual relationship and gets serious, just… you need to be very careful. Because as soon as Gabriel has his mojo back, he will be free to leave at any time…” Dean’s words hit Sam like a punch to the gut, and the younger Winchester felt his heart drop in his chest even just envisaging Gabriel leaving them forever.

 

“Don’t say that…”

 

“… and with that scenario in mind, you need to start thinking about what's best for you. Don't fall for a guy who might leave. Don't fall for a guy who just wants sex if you want more. That's all I'm saying” Dean’s voice was softer than usual, worried even. Sam had almost forgotten what caring big brother Dean sounded like. It felt familiar and comforting, but devastating at the same time.

 

“I… do you really think he will leave when he gets his powers back?” Sam asked, insecurity lacing his tone. Dean merely sighed at the question.

 

“Look, Sammy… it’s a possibility, okay? I never said that’s what Gabriel is intending to do. Who knows, he might want to stick around” Sam nodded, intent on clinging to that eventuality with the desperation of a drowning man. It probably was not healthy, but Sam did not really care.

 

“Thanks, Dean. I think I’ll go to bed now and decide what I’ll do in the morning…” Sam smiled softly, but it felt fake. Undoubtedly Dean picked up on how tense his brother was for he called out Sam’s name again before the younger Winchester had reached the door.

 

“Hey Sammy? I know I said be careful, but… don't shut yourself off either, yeah? Consider the possibility, talk to him… Find out what's going on. If you can't handle a friends with benefits situation and that's all Gabriel is interested in, then tell him ‘thanks, but no thanks’ and dump his sorry ass” Sam could not help but snort at Dean’s words, which warmed the older Winchester’s heart judging by the find smile that appeared on his lips. Sam nodded his approval.

 

“Okay, jerk. Thanks again”

 

“Anytime, bitch”

 

With his brother’s words in mind, Sam returned to his own bed and pondered what they had just discussed. Sure, sex with Gabriel sounded amazing. However, Sam felt a warm feeling spread in his chest at the thought of cuddling with the former archangel after sex, and make breakfast for them in the morning before settling down and watching a movie or TV show on Netflix. Sam imagined taking walks with Gabriel, regardless of the location. He pictured the two of them researching together in the library. Sam could even see how worried he would be if Gabriel left for a hunt and did not return for a couple of days, and how relieved Sam would be to see him appear in front of him safe and sound. The younger Winchester imagined how saying ‘I love you’ to Gabriel, and having the blonde say it in return, would feel like. Suddenly, Sam noticed a strange feeling in his abdomen, almost like a fluttering or a tickle… he had forgotten what having butterflies in the stomach felt like. He had not experienced that sensation for a long time…, in fact, the last time had been with Jessica.

 

When Sam finally succumbed to sleep, he dreamed of Gabriel mischievous smile and his bright whiskey-coloured eyes.

 

TBC.


	9. Chapter 9

“Alright, so Marfa… how far we’re looking, about 16-hour drive?” Dean asked while leaning over the long wooden table, his eyes scanning the map spread out in front of them. Sam was quick to type in the exact coordinates Cas had given them into his laptop.

 

“Fourteen hours without stops” Sam confirmed solemnly.

 

“We cannot wait that long” Cas interjected, urgency clear in his tone, “archangel grace is hard to come by. This demon has in his possession an artefact that all the money in the world couldn’t buy. Either he’s planning on selling it on, or he will use it… and I don’t want to know what would happen in that case…”

 

“Okay, you’ll zap us to Marfa then” Dean declared, eager to move on to the next step. The older Winchester had been itching for a good hunt for a while now, and the thought of taking down a very powerful demon was seemingly more excitement than he could take. “So, what are we waiting for?”

 

“Hm, let’s see, a plan maybe?” Gabriel offered sarcastically. The blonde’s feet were resting on top of the table while he skilfully balanced himself on his chair. Sam rolled his eyes when he noticed the two men sticking their tongues out at each other.

 

“Guys, come on. Okay, listen to this. This is not just any town. Marfa is home to a phenomenon known as the Marfa Lights. They’ve been observed near U.S. Route 67 on Mitchell Flat east of Marfa. They have gained some fame as onlookers have ascribed them to paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, UFOs, or will-o'-the-wisp, etc. However, scientific research suggests that most, if not all, are atmospheric reflections of automobile headlights and campfires” Sam skim-read the remaining of the Wikipedia webpage, looking for any other piece of information that might immediately be of use to them.

 

“Yeah-huh, ‘headlights’…” Dean snorted under his breath.

 

“Perfect place for a demon to hide. If anything weird happens, it will be blamed on the Marfa lights…” Sam mused to himself. He was so concentrated on the case at hand that he did not notice Gabriel shamelessly staring at him.

 

“So what’s the plan then, Sherlock? Go into the guy’s house and gank him nice and clean, take the archangel grace back and zap back to the bunker…”

 

“You make it sound so fantastically easy, Dean-o I wonder how you never managed to kill Lucifer earlier… oh yeah, you didn’t know how until a handsome archangel gave you a clue” Gabriel sassed the older Winchester. Sam sighed heavily and closed his eyes, mentally counting to ten to avoid saying things he would later come to regret. Meanwhile, Cas came between Dean and Gabriel as a precautionary measure.

 

“Now is not the time for arguments, Dean” Cas warned his lover, staring at the other man warningly. Dean merely huffed, shooting Gabriel a vicious glare while the former archangel merely wiggled his eyebrows and blew the taller man a kiss. Sam tried to ignore the churning feeling in his stomach at the sight.

 

“We need a proper plan, Dean” Sam said, clearing his throat in an attempt to diffuse the tension, “it won’t be that easy. I highly doubt that we’ll find a way in if Cas couldn’t”

“We’ve seen, fought and killed worse, Sammy” Dean argued back, “all we need is a proper diversion. What demon doesn’t want a piece of Winchester, amiright?”

 

“Okay, so what did you have in mind?” Sam enquired, pushing his laptop to the side. Out of the corner of his eye the younger Winchester could see Gabriel shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Sam felt the sudden urge to offer the blonde man a reassuring smile, but he knew his heart would not be into it. He still did not know where he and Gabriel were at, and Sam did not want to make things more awkward between them.

 

“I… damn it, Sammy, you know I usually improvise that kind of stuff” Sam rolled his eyes at his brother’s words.

 

“Whatever man. When are we leaving?”

 

“I say asap. Let us get some gear together and we’ll have Cas zap us to the location. Ready to kick some demon ass?” Dean looked as eager to get going as a child waiting to open presents at Christmas, and as strange as it seemed, it warmed Sam’s heart to see his brother so excited. However, as Dean and Cas left the room to get ready, the younger Winchester could not help but feel worried about the hunt. He had a bad feeling about it, which was not like him. Something about this felt wrong. Sam decided to put it down to the lack of planning.

 

“What’s wrong, Samshine?” Gabriel asked, breaking the unsettling silence. Sam jerked slightly at the sound of the other man’s voice.

 

“Uh… nothing” Sam lied, and judging by the look Gabriel gave him, the blonde did not buy it. The younger Winchester felt like sighing and banging his head against the wall.

 

“Yeah right, and I’m a model of Christian virtue” Sam snorted under his breath at the comment, making the former archangel smile softly. “Now, that’s more like it”

 

Gabriel’s voice had grown soft. Unnervingly so. Sam looked up from the maps spread out on the table and locked gaze with Gabriel for the first time since all of them had congregated in the same room. Sam visibly relaxed when he noticed the warm smile on the former archangel’s lips. He could not help but return the gesture, although the smile did not quite reach his eyes.

 

“What’s on your mind then, Sammykins?” Gabriel repeated his question, patiently waiting for Sam to provide him with a satisfying answer. The younger Winchester exhaled loudly as he debated whether to open up to the other man or keep his worries to himself.

 

“Don’t pretend you care, Gabriel”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sam’s eyebrow furrowed when he heard how hurt Gabriel sounded. The accusatory frown the former archangel sported was another indication of how offended Gabriel seemed to be by those words.

 

“Ever since that night at the diner… you’ve been acting weird” Sam admitted defensively. Gabriel merely guffawed dramatically.

 

“ _I’ve_ been acting weird? You’re the one who’s been avoiding me ever since!”

 

“Yeah, because you seemed to have lost interest when I didn’t react the way you expected me to”

 

Sam rose from his chair and started pacing back and forth, feeling Gabriel’s eyes on him the whole time. The other man did not say anything, whether because he was at a loss for words, or because he knew Sam to be right, it did not really matter. The younger Winchester’s heart skipped a beat when he suddenly came face to face with Gabriel, who quickly grabbed a hold of Sam’s hands so the taller man would not move away from him. The action surprised Sam enough that he forgot how agitated he felt. The feeling of Gabriel’s warm hands on his skin was enough to take Sam’s breath away.

 

“Now you listen to me, Samoose. I’m gonna tell you something, and I will deny every word of it if you tell another soul, got it?” Sam merely nodded, still mesmerised by how natural Gabriel’s touch felt, “Look, I ain’t exactly the epitome of chastity. And I never thought that I’d ever do exclusive relationships, you get me? I could snap sexual partners into existence and not worry about having to court them beforehand. I could just jump straight into action if you catch my meaning” 

 

“Gabriel, what are you trying to…”

 

“However” the smaller man interrupted Sam by placing his index over the younger Winchester’s lips, “now that I’m human, things are different. I can no longer skip steps, I must live by the book. Sometimes it’s not really clear what’s appropriate and what’s taking it too far”

 

Gabriel paused, gauging Sam’s reaction. The younger Winchester listened carefully, his eyes staring at the other man with uncertainty. He did know what to believe anymore.

 

“You… you’ve been around humans for a long time. I’m sure you at least have an inkling of what’s appropriate…”

 

“You’d be surprised how many of my ‘conquests’ were the product of my trickster abilities, Sam” Gabriel admitted, sounding slightly ashamed. His eyes avoided Sam’s momentarily as the former archangel cleared his throat nervously. “What can I say. I’m shy, sue me”

 

“Shy?” Sam could not hold back a laugh, “you’re many things, Gabriel, but shy is not one of them”

 

“Alright, fine” Gabriel raised his hands in surrender, a mischievous smile on his lips, “I’m a fibber. But, I managed to make you smile a second time. Come on, that must count for something” Sam realised that Gabriel had a point. His good-hearted nature was refreshing, and Sam did feel more cheerful around the blonde man.

 

“I guess. So, what now? What exactly do you want from me, sex?” Sam asked point-blank. Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

 

“I definitely wouldn’t say no to sex” Sam narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he looked at Gabriel, his irritation clearly written all over his face. Gabriel had the decency to look sheepish, “Look Sam, I feel things I’ve not allowed myself to feel in a long time, okay? And I’m not stupid, I noticed the way you act around me. I know you’re interested, Sammykins. And fair enough, I didn’t go about things the right way. But I can vouch that I was set on making it up to you, and if you don’t believe me then… ask Castiel, he’ll confirm this” Sam raised one eyebrow at that statement.

 

“Cas? Okay… that story can wait. How… how were you gonna make it up to me?” came the careful question. Gabriel’s golden eyes lit up with excitement at the question, and the sight made Sam happier than he cared to admit.

 

“Well, only the best date of your life” Gabriel bragged. Sam huffed in disbelief, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

 

“I see. The best date of my life, eh? Just that?”

 

“I’m an angel… well, a man of my word” the blonde man took several steps back, and Sam found himself missing the warmth of his touch, “I was gonna plan a traditional human date, but… since today I might get my grace back, scratch that! After I’m back to full power, I’m gonna show you a night you will never forget. And before you ask, no sexual connotation”

 

Sam could not believe the words that came out of Gabriel’s mouth. The younger Winchester stood momentarily stunned, unsure of what to say next or how to address the giant elephant in the room. A proper date. Gabriel was offering a date. Sam was torn between ecstatic joy and crippling indecisiveness. Was this all a big cosmic joke? Was Gabriel pranking him?

 

“I uh… are you serious?”

 

“As serious as a heart attack, Samshine” Gabriel tried to hide his nervousness behind a mocking façade, but Sam could see right through it. The other man’s uneasiness was so obvious, and it was endearing to witness. The once powerful archangel reduced to feeling the most primitive of human emotions… the air of vulnerability was only accentuated when Gabriel’s semi-confident expression melted into one of uncertainty at Sam’s prolonged silence.

 

“Okay…” the younger Winchester eventually relented, “you better live up to that promise. And as a heads up… I don’t have sex on the first date…”

 

“Not even if I buy you dinner?” Gabriel asked cheekily, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Sam glared at the smaller man, trying very hard not to crack a smile. The blonde raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, I’ll behave. I promise”

 

Sam finally allowed himself to let out the breath he had been holding and relax. A soft smile graced his lips as he noticed the excited twinkle in Gabriel’s golden eyes. The knot in Sam’s stomach loosened and was replaced with a tingling feeling that made the younger Winchester feel all giddy inside.

 

“Right uh… we better get ready for the hunt”

 

OoO

 

“Got everything we need?” Dean asked into the room, checking his own duffle bag, “shotgun, light patch-up kit, angel blades, plenty of holy water, a cross in case we need to make more holy water…”

 

“Ruby’s knife” Sam added, pocketing the small weapon, “I drank two bottles of holy water earlier in case our demon tries something funny”

 

“Don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re just a pretty face, Sammykins” Gabriel winked at the younger Winchester as he spoke, making the taller man blush a delicate shade of pink.

 

“You two get a room” Dean mumbled under his breath, zipping his bag shut.

 

“Apparently, that won’t be possible until I take Sam out on a couple of dates…” Gabriel casually countered, earning himself a flustered ‘Gabe’ from Sam. The former archangel merely grinned to himself, clearly proud of his little stunt. Dean looked like he was about to say something, but upon brief consideration the older Winchester decided to drop the subject. Sam was eternally grateful for his brother’s silence, while Gabriel looked slightly disappointed by the lack of reaction from Dean.

 

“Is there anything we’re missing? Cas, anything you can think of?”

 

“No” the seraph replied after a short reflection time, “ready to fly to Marfa?”

 

“As ready as I’ll ever be” Dean admitted uneasily, swallowing the lump in his throat with some difficulty. His discomfort was obvious, and Sam found the situation rather amusing. Dean shot him a deadly glare, “what you looking at, Bigfoot?”

 

“Nothing” Sam said, feigning ignorance, but Dean knew him well enough to know that this was a lie.

 

“I think we’ve wasted enough time here. Let’s go kill that son of a bitch and get my grace back” Gabriel announced solemnly. Cas merely nodded, turning around to face both Dean and Sam.

 

“I’ll zap you one by one to avoid any accidents” the seraph explained. When the two Winchester brothers nodded their approval, Cas placed his hand over Dean’s shoulder and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared leaving Gabriel and Sam behind. The two men did not speak, Sam barely managing a nervous smile in the former archangel’s direction.

 

“All will be fine, Samshine” Gabriel told the taller man reassuringly. Before Sam had the chance to reply, Cas reappeared before them. Without so much as a warning, Cas grabbed Sam’s arm and the nauseated feeling that came with travelling through space at inhuman speed overwhelmed his senses. When Sam opened his eyes again and focused his eyesight, he found himself standing before a steel-clad barn next to a silver-coloured silo which read ‘Texaco, Marfa’ in big black letters. The place looked abandoned, however a quick look around told Sam that they were not too far away from the town centre. The familiar flutter of wings told the two brothers that Gabriel and Cas had now joined them as well.

 

“This town… I can sense the magic oozing from it. Dark magic…” Cas mused, taking in his surroundings. Sam could have sworn that he noticed the seraph shiver anxiously. “I… I can’t make out angelic grace among the evil aura around the city”

 

“That doesn’t mean it’s not here. Maybe it’s just well-hidden” Dean reasoned, his voice low and gruff. Sam could tell his brother had gone into hunter mode. There was no coming back from that state now; Dean would go after that demon one way or another, no matter the costs. “Alright Cas, lead the way”

 

Cas nodded and started walking north from their position, the three other men following him diligently. Sam noticed Gabriel whispering unintelligible words at Cas. The younger Winchester could only guess that the former archangel was speaking to the slightly taller angel in Enochian, a language Sam was not fluent in. Sam noticed with uneasiness how the seraph looked at Gabriel with horror written over his features. Whatever the smaller man had suggested, Cas was clearly uncomfortable with the idea. This piqued Sam’s interest, and made him feel queasy. Something was wrong, and he had no way of figuring out what was on Gabriel’s mind. Cas also began speaking in hushed whispers, and judging by the tone of Cas’ voice, the two brothers were arguing. Sam shot Dean a questioning look, but his brother apparently had not noticed the display taken place before them. The younger Winchester tried to focus on picking up words he might have recognised in context, but Gabriel and Cas were speaking too fast for him to follow. Whatever was being discussed, the seraph did not look pleased… but ended up relenting judging by the way he submissively lowered his eyes after Gabriel snapped at him.

 

“Is this place in the centre of town, Cas?” Dean asked, visibly starting both brothers who abruptly stopped in their tracks to face a very confused Dean.

 

“Not really. We are getting closer, Dean. Just stay focused”

 

Gabriel shot Sam a furtive look, but mostly avoided eye-contact, which made the younger hunter particularly suspicious. Gabriel was hiding something, and he did not want Sam or Dean to know what he had planned. From experience, this could prove fatal. The only reassurance for now was that Gabriel was not in possession of his grace. Sam wondered if he was planning on going rogue once he had his grace back. The thought very nearly broke the younger Winchester’s heart. What if Gabriel was planning on breaking his trust? Sam did not know how he would react if that turned out to be the case.

 

“This is the place” Cas told the three other men, pointing at a house several feet away from where the four of them stood. Not exactly the most inconspicuous location, but Sam and Dean knew enough about demons to not underestimate them. An amused chuckle caught the brothers’ attention.

 

“How typical… look what’s up that way”

 

Sam, Dean and Cas shot each other a confused look before looking up the side street. Sam was the first one to figure out what Gabriel was on about. About half a mile down the road, the younger Winchester could see the start of a graveyard.

 

“Right, enough fucking about. Let us get that son of a bitch. Cas, stay here for now. I’ll pray to you when it’s safe to come inside”

 

Cas merely nodded his approval. Sam noticed the desperate and pleading look the seraph shot Gabriel, but the former archangel merely looked away. Something was not right. Sam could feel it in his guts.

 

“Gabriel, you stay here, too. Keep watch, the last thing we need is an army of supernatural creatures coming to that guy’s rescue”

 

For an instant, it looked like Gabriel was about to argue, but the blonde merely sighed in defeat, taking several steps back in surrender. Dean looked surprised that the former archangel was complying without a fight. Sam and Dean exchanged a glance before grabbing their weapons and heading towards the house in question, turning their backs on Cas and Gabriel. Sam felt like he should tell Dean about the verbal altercation he had witnessed between the two brothers, but the younger Winchester thought better of it. He needed to concentrate on not letting this demon kill him.

 

“Stay safe Sammy, alright? Don’t do anything stupid” Dean whispered to him as the two brothers reached the front door, bracing themselves to kick it down and take the demon by surprise. Sam could feel his heart race in his chest as adrenaline was pumped through his system.

 

“Same to you. At three… one, two…”

 

Before the younger Winchester finished the countdown, the door clicked open and swung inward with an eerie creak. The two brothers stared at each other in surprise, not expecting this turn of event. Dean merely shrugged, clearly pleased with the turn of events, but Sam had a funny feeling that this was a set-up. He did not have the time to warn his brother in time when the two of them were sucked inside the house by an invisible force, which caused both brothers to buckle and lose their equilibrium. The door slammed shut behind them.

 

“Well, well, well… what do we have here?” a mocking female voice taunted them, chuckling when both brothers struggled to get back on their feet. “Two Winchester brothers stupid enough to pick a fight with me…”

 

“Nice to meet you” Dean offered sarcastically, hissing as he stumbled to his feet while holding his left rib, “and you are?”

 

“Very lucky indeed…” the demon snarled, waving her hand and managing to send Dean flying to the other end of the room. The older Winchester came crashing against the wall with a force strong enough to knock him out. Sam felt fear rise in him at the thought of facing this demoness on his own. He had a sentiment that Ruby’s knife would not be of much use to him in that instant. The red-haired demon rested her pitch-black eyes on Sam, her evil grin sending a shiver down the younger Winchester’s spine.

 

“You’re a really pretty thing, aren’t ya?” the woman complimented Sam, licking her lips seductively for emphasis, “it would be a shame to spoil them beautiful body and face… I’ll give you the choice of how you want to die, handsome…”

 

“Go to hell” Sam snapped at her, instantly feeling an excruciating pain in the pit of his stomach, almost as if a fire had been ignited in his abdominal region. Sam seriously believed that he was about to die when he heard the door being kicked in. As suddenly as it had appeared, the burning feeling disappeared as the demoness was taken by surprise.

 

“Buenas tardes, bitch” Gabriel’s voice greeted the creature from hell. It took Sam several seconds to recover from the sheer intensity of the pain the demon had inflicted, and when the younger Winchester finally managed to focus his vision, he could see the determined and pissed off look on Gabriel’s face. A closer look at their surroundings revealed barely concealed angel wardings. Cas had no way of getting in just now.

 

“If today isn’t my lucky day” the female vessel exclaimed excitedly, “I knew that the black cat I spotted this morning was a good omen”

 

“I believe you have something that belongs to me…” Gabriel told the demon calmly, ignoring her previous statement. The red-haired woman merely chortled amused.

 

“If you’re looking for your grace, pretty boy, you’re delusional if you think I’m simply going to hand it over to you…” Gabriel smiled humourlessly at that comment, taking several menacing steps towards the proud demon.

 

“I was talking about the Winchester bros… they’re with me, and I have a funny feeling you’re not treating them with great care…”

 

“You don’t scare me, archangel. Or should I say human?” came the snarky reply. Gabriel did not even flinch at what was meant to be an insult. His grin only widened as he boldly stepped even closer to the now angry demon. Sam wished he had the strength to shout at Gabe to back off before she killed him.

 

“Who’s to say you have all of my grace?”

 

“Who’s to say I have your grace at all?” the demon countered, raising one eyebrow challengingly. Gabriel looked slightly taken aback by the question.

 

“It’s been traced back to this place not long ago”

 

“Rare artefacts get bought and sold really quickly on the black market, sweetheart” the demon closed the distance between her and Gabriel, her lips dangerously close to his as if she was about to kiss him… or at least considering it. She delicately wrapped her long white fingers around Gabriel’s neck, a sight which made Sam tremble with anger. Out of the corner of his eye, the younger Winchester could see his brother twitch. At least Dean was awake.

 

“So tell me, fallen archangel… even if I did have your grace here, what would you do about it? Ask your angel friend outside to fight your battle for you? All of you stink of angel grace…”

 

Sam noticed Dean fidgeting in the corner, and upon closer observation the younger Winchester realised that his brother was scratching off the paint making up the angel warding. Dean noticed Sam watching him and winked at his brother as a grin tugged at his lips. The demon picked that moment to glance at the two brothers sprawled on the floor.

 

“What are you smiling at, sugar?” she asked, her voice velvety and smooth, almost flirtatious. Dean merely chuckled cruelly.

 

“There’s a stinking angel behind you”

 

The demon’s face fell at the information, and before she had time to react Cas had her pinned against the wall. The seraph stabbed the demon’s thigh with his angel blade, taking advantage of her state of agony to force some holy water down her throat. Meanwhile, Gabriel had knelt next to Sam and made sure that he had no visible injuries on him before doing the same for Dean. The Winchester brothers were too concentrated on Cas manhandling that demon to worry about the former archangel.

 

“Where is the archangel grace?” Cas asked, his voice authoritative and leaving no room for argument. The demon spat at him, which only resulted in her being slammed into another wall as Cas got angrier. Sam flinched every time the demon’s vessel made contact with a solid surface.

 

“I’m not going to ask again, where is the archangel grace?”

 

“Fuck you, feathers”

 

Cas seemed to momentarily hesitate. Sam wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him or if he could truly see a reluctant and apologetic expression on the seraph’s face. His expression hardened considerably as Cas pressed his index and middle-finger to the demon’s forehead. The scream that filled the room was chilling, blood-curling even. Sam could not recall having heard anything like it before. The demon was shaking uncontrollably as she howled in pain and desperation. Cas’ face was stoic, his eyes glowing blue-white as he concentrated on torturing the demon. Sam shot Gabriel and Dean a horrified look. While the older Winchester looked equally terrified by Cas’ display of power, Gabriel looked strangely calm and composed. Sam suddenly understood: the former archangel had planned this all along. If Cas got close to the demon, he was to torment it so they could find out where his grace was.

 

“ **I don’t have it, I swear** ” the demon finally cried out in surrender, “ **Loki reclaimed it last night** ”

 

TBC.


	10. Chapter 10

The three men and the angel stood dumbfounded for an instant, unsure how to react to the news. Loki had reclaimed Gabriel’s grace, or so the demon before them had claimed. Judging by the blood-curling screams that had come from the creature mere seconds earlier, Sam was not convinced that she had been telling the truth. He knew angels employed torture where necessary, however the younger Winchester had never witnessed Cas in action. And considering the confused and lost look on Dean’s face, neither had his brother. Gabriel, meanwhile, looked crestfallen at the revelation that he had been this close to getting his grace back only to see that hope vanish before his eyes. The demon managed a cruel laugh.

 

“You didn’t really think that you could outsmart the trickster now, could you? Without your powers, Gabriel, you are nothing. Not an archangel, not a trickster… just a fuck up. A buffoon, a joke…”

 

Sam observed Gabriel closely. The younger Winchester’s stomach churned uncomfortably when he noticed the blonde man’s face harden considerably. His jaw clenched at the same time as his hands balled into fists. Had he been at full power, Sam was convinced that Gabriel would have emitted enough energy to wipe Marfa off the face of this Earth. The former archangel was properly fuming, his nostrils flaring menacingly.

 

“Castiel… finish her” Gabriel ordered casually, as if it were no big deal at all. Cas did not hesitate to disintegrate the demon, ignoring Dean and Sam’s indignant cries.

 

“CAS! What are you doing, she could have given us more information on Loki’s whereabouts” Dean shouted angrily, struggling to get onto his feet. Before the seraph had time to answer, Gabriel interjected dryly.

 

“It’s over, Dean. Loki has my grace. There’s no way we can defeat him, not like this. We’ll never be powerful or clever enough”

 

Sam could hear the trembling in Gabriel’s voice and he could have sworn he saw the glistening of unshed tears in the whiskey-coloured eyes. The sight broke his heart.

 

“Gabe…” Sam whispered softly, unsure of what he wanted to say, but knowing that his voice might have the power to calm down the storm of emotions raging inside the blonde man’s head. Gabriel locked eyes with Sam, trying his best to stop his lower lip from quivering. Sam knew he had to say something, but he did not seem able to form a coherent sentence if his life depended on it.

 

“Gabriel… let’s go home” Cas suggested, placing a comforting hand on his older brother’s shoulder. Gabriel did not even react. Within minutes, the four of them had zapped back to the bunker. The altercation with the demon came at the price of fractured ribs for both Sam and Dean, an injury Cas was easily able to heal. Sam did not waste any time making his way to Gabriel’s bedroom where the smaller man had taken refuge straight upon arrival. Sam did not even bother to knock, and burst into the room to find Gabriel sitting blank-faced on the bed.

 

“What were you thinking?” Sam asked in an accusatory tone. Gabriel failed to acknowledge him, but it took more to dissuade the younger Winchester. “There was a reason why we asked you to stay outside, Gabriel. You could not take on that demon alone, in fact you could have died! Gabriel, I could have lost you today, do you realise that? Or do you simply not care? Because I do, I was worried sick for you!”

 

Gabriel did not react or show any emotion following Sam’s rant. The former archangel was hunched over himself, his head hanging limply and his hands fisting the material of his jeans tensely. The younger Winchester noticed the way the smaller man’s shoulders twitched every now and again. Another several minutes passed before Gabriel finally looked up at the taller man, silent tears running down his cheeks.

 

“Sam…” Gabriel’s voice sounded tired, broken. It was the voice of a man who had dared to hope too much. It was the voice of a being that, for the first time, fully understood the meaning of his hardships. The realisation that he had fallen only seemed to hit Gabriel in that instant, as he looked at Sam in utter helplessness and vulnerability. Sam instantly forgot all about his anger and went to sit next to the fallen archangel on the bed, pulling him close to his strong body and allowing Gabriel to weep in the crook of his neck. Hot tears fell onto Sam’s skin, a painful reminder of how fragile the former archangel was in that instant. Gabriel focused on using all the remainder of his wounded pride to not make a sound. Sam merely rubbed his arm soothingly, also keeping quiet until Gabriel had calmed down.

 

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, Gabe. It’s just… I was so scared for your safety. Also, I’d never seen Cas torture anyone before, and that was kind of disorientating…” Sam admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. Gabriel straightened up somewhat, wiping the tears prickling at the corner of his eyes with his sleeve, but remaining close to Sam’s comforting warmth.

 

“And I’m sorry you had to see me like this. And also that you had to see Cas do the things he did. He would not agree to it at first, dad bless him. He was always a pacifist at heart…” Gabriel sounded remorseful, and the thought comforted Sam. It was reassuring to know that the former archangel was not a heartless monster. On the contrary, he did what he had to do to survive, like the rest of them.

 

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve learned a long time ago that it’s better to let everything out of your system, or it’ll start eating you from the inside until you can’t take it and explode. That’s when stupid decisions are made” Sam told the former archangel. Gabriel smirked slightly.

 

“Sam the wise… hey, that could be a new nickname for you. Samwise…” The younger Winchester could not help but laugh out loud at the comment.

 

“Got bored of using the same nicknames over and over?” Sam teased, earning himself a knowing nod from the man next to him.

 

“Diversity is crucial. It’s what makes life so enjoyable, and less monotonous. Father knows how easy it is for you humans to fall into a routine. I suppose there’s comfort in the expectable… especially when you don’t know when your time will come” Gabriel mused out loud, his tone distant like he was losing himself in his train of thought.

 

“Some humans are spontaneous, you know?” Sam defended, “but personally I don’t see the issue in living a predictable life. After being a hunter for most of my life, I would love to settle down and be normal”

 

“I suppose that’s fair” Gabriel agreed. Minutes passed as the two men sat together in comfortable silence. It was so easy being in the presence of the former archangel and it made Sam feel at peace. He enjoyed listening to Gabriel’s breathing for another moment before he dared to address the events that had occurred in the previous hours.

 

“If you don’t want to talk about this right now, I would understand… but, did you mean it when you said that it was over?” Sam asked carefully, gauging the former archangel’s reactions. Gabriel did not answer immediately, pondering his next move. Eventually, the blonde man sighed in defeat.

 

“I did. There’s no defeating Loki. He must have got word of my whereabouts and my plan… the best move now is to keep low and not piss him off even more” Sam could not believe what he was hearing.

 

“So, you’re just gonna give up?” he asked, his tone indicating that there was a right and a wrong answer to that question.

 

“Yeah. Pretty much. I’ll lead a quiet life and maybe he’ll let me die of old age”

 

“Gabriel…” Sam had so many things he wished to tell the archangel, but he knew that it would not be very fair to utter any of them in relation to Gabriel’s situation. In no way did he wish to accuse Gabriel of being a coward, but Sam felt like he had to convince the former archangel to fight just a little bit longer. You did not just abandon a wounded or demoralised soldier; you picked him up and offered him a shoulder to lean on. That was precisely what Sam wanted to achieve. He wanted to be Gabriel’s moral support.

 

“Look man, I get that you’re scared. And don’t tell me you’re not, because we both know that’s bullshit” Sam quickly added seeing that Gabriel was about to argue, “You’re mortal. Of course you’re scared, because there’s more at stake now than your pride, or your principles. Going after Loki would be a massive gamble, and the price of defeat is your life. I get it, okay? But, that’s no reason to give up. You’re not alone in this, Dean, Cas and I will help you. The four of us, we’ll find a solution, I promise. If it takes up all our time, we will”

 

“You don’t understand, Sam” Gabriel interrupted warily, “we’re talking about a Norse trickster God. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, we need more powerful allies. Such as another archangel, or another God… and right now I can’t think of anyone that would be willing to team up with us against Loki”

 

Sam thought. He thought hard, harder than he ever had in his life. Dean had taught him very early that there was always a way to make things work if you were determined enough. And Sam was determined to win this battle and to see that Gabriel got his grace back. Think, Sammy, think. Think of the solution, not the problem.

 

“I have a thought…” Sam announced.

 

“Samshine, look…”

 

“Hang on, and hear me out” Sam shifted so he faced Gabriel properly, his excitement barely containable, “there’s someone powerful out there who owes me and Dean a big one.”

 

The former archangel raised a sceptical eyebrow at Sam’s words, silently urging the younger Winchester to reveal the extent of his thought.

 

“Kali…” Sam knew that the pinch he felt in his heart was unreasonable, but he could not help himself. He was aware that Gabriel and Kali used to be intimate, both emotionally and physically. The smaller man went quiet at the mention of the goddess’ name, the shocking boldness of Sam’s proposition hitting him like a mace to the head. Eventually, Gabriel shook his head in disbelief.

 

“You Winchesters are all a bit insane in the membrane. Kali? You do realise that she and I did not part on good terms… she kinda tried to kill me for lying to her…”

 

“Maybe… but you saved her from your brother… and so did we. We made sure she was safe when you were creating a diversion. So even if she doesn’t feel like she owes you a favour, she is still in mine and Dean’s debt. It’s worth a shot, Gabriel… please…” Sam pleaded, putting on his best beaten puppy look. Gabriel eyed the younger Winchester suspiciously, trying to figure out whether Sam was leading him on or being serious. The taller Winchester knew he had to do something to convince the blonde man that he would support him no matter what.

 

“Gabe, I know it sounds crazy and impossible, but… it always seems impossible until it’s done…” To Sam’s surprise, his encouraging words made the fallen archangel chuckle.

 

“So cheesy, Samwise” Gabriel fiddled with his fingers momentarily before exhaling heavily, “for some stupid reason, I have faith in you and your brother. Let’s give that plan a bash. What’s the worst that could happen, after all? You guys prevented apocalypses… surely you can handle the ticking bomb that is Kali” 

 

Sam grinned, pleased with the outcome of this conversation. He was excited to tell Dean and Cas about his idea, despite Gabriel’s visible reluctance. The smaller man shuffled uncomfortably on the bed like he was about to say something. His mouth silently formed all kinds of shaped before the blonde finally decided to speak.

 

“Do you trust me, Sammykins?” The question took Sam by surprise.

 

“Uh… I guess so, yeah, why?”

 

Before Sam could process what was going on, Gabriel’s lips collided with his in an unexpected kiss. The younger Winchester froze, his brain briefly forgetting how to respond when someone started kissing you. It did not take long for Sam to intensify the kiss. He felt Gabriel pressing against him demandingly. To his surprise, the younger Winchester allowed himself to be pushed onto his back as Gabriel straddled him, breaking the kiss only to slightly readjust his position. Sam’s arms snaked around the smaller man’s waist, pulling him closer to his body. The small moans the former archangel produced were like music to his ears. It was Gabriel who broke the kiss first, sounding out of breath.

 

“Sorry if this felt random… I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and I figured the time would never be right. So I gave it a shot” Sam raised both his eyebrows in surprise, letting out an incredulous chortle.

 

“Well this one time, I’m really glad you acted on your impulse…” Sam closed the distance between them once again, and Gabriel seemed more than happy to oblige.

 

OoO

 

“So, what’s the plan now, father?” Fenrir asked before taking a sip of his drink, both his legs thrown over the armrest of the luxurious sofa he rested on. Loki stopped spinning the vial containing a light blue incandescence otherwise known as archangel grace to acknowledge his son.

 

“We wait”

 

“Wait? For what?”

 

Loki smiled to himself, his eyes once again riveted on the vial between his fingers. Such a fragile possession, yet so difficult to get rid of. He was effectively holding Gabriel’s essence in between his digits, and there was no way for him to destroy it. Frustrating, you might think. Not for Loki. He knew that Gabriel and the Winchesters would trace the grace back to him, and they would come looking for it. And by doing just that, they would be playing right into the God’s hands. No matter how good the Winchester brothers were, Loki was better. He had an advantage; after all, was he not the infamous trickster?

 

“For our time to strike. Patience, my son, is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind. Take my advice for it!”

 

Fenrir did not speak any more. Loki was grateful for the peace and quiet. Delicately, almost like he was holding in his hands the world’s most precious jewel, the God slid the vial inside his breast pocket right next to his heart. Gabriel had once been like a brother for him, and it pained Loki to have to plan the archangel’s death. But if there was one thing the Norse deity understood better than anyone else, it was that you always kept your friends close, and your enemies even closer.

 

TBC.


	11. Chapter 11

“Well, fucking pardon my goddamn French, but Sammy you’ve officially gone crazy” Dean declared after listening to Sam’s plan to get Kali involved in their quest to steal Gabriel’s grace back from Loki. However, Sam was not one to be defeated that easily.

 

“It’s our only shot. Like Gabe pointed out, we need more powerful allies. If you know any other gods we could ask for help, then by all means shoot!” Sam told his brother sarcastically.

 

“What makes you think that Kali will even listen to us in the first place?” Dean countered angrily.

 

“Even if she did, how are you planning on finding her, Sam?” Cas asked, unsurprisingly backing Dean up. That was to be expected, but Sam knew that if he managed to get Dean on board, Cas would follow regardless of how he felt about the situation. The angel would always have Dean’s back, and while Sam was glad that Dean had such a loyal partner by his side, the younger Winchester knew that this personality trait was Cas’ Achilles’ heel.

 

“We’ll do some research, there’s always a way Cas, alright? Gods, angels, demons… they all react to the most primitive of calls. Summons, prayers, sacrifices, what have you. That is the one thing engrained in their psyche ever since the day they were created, and that’s one thing we can always be 100% sure about. Getting to Kali won’t be a problem. Convincing her is the big challenge here”

 

Cas cast a dubious glance at Dean, who looked just as unconvinced as his lover.

 

“Sammy, this is far too dangerous. You’re asking us to risk our lives for…” Dean momentarily paused just in time, realising how offensive the end of his sentence sounded. Sam shot his brother a deadly glare.

 

“Go on… say it” the younger Winchester challenged, taking several provocative steps towards his brother. Dean raised his hands in surrender, having the decency to look apologetic.

 

“Look man, I didn’t mean it like that” the older hunter tried to defend himself, “I’m just saying, if I had to choose between you and Gabriel’s grace, then sorry but I choose you. I’ll always 

pick you over anything and anyone else”

 

Sam went quiet at his brother’s words, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly. The younger Winchester cast a desperate look at Gabriel, who had been sitting silently since the start of the conversation. If Dean’s words had affected the blonde in any way, he did a good job of not showing it. A heavy sigh escaped the fallen archangel as he met Sam’s pleading eyes.

 

“Listen Samsquatch, you can’t force them to be on board. Dean’s right, your safety comes first. Good effort though, kiddo. It just wasn’t enough” Gabriel stood up with the intention to retreat to his bedroom, which Sam believed had become his safe place where no one and nothing could get to him. Well, no one except Sam seemingly. To everyone’s surprise, Cas called his brother’s name asking him to stay.

 

“Dean, maybe this is something we should consider” Cas suggested while staring at his lover intently. Dean looked like the seraph had just committed the greatest of betrayals by encouraging Sam and Gabriel’s crazy plan.

 

“That’s it, you guys are all insane. I’ll be damned if I let you and Sammy put your lives at risk for a plan that might not even work out” Dean declared.

 

“Unfortunately, Dean, you don’t get to decide whether me or Sam go on a hunt. All you get to choose is whether you’ll be on the field helping us, or here bitterly waiting for us to come back” Cas’ tone left no room for argument, and Sam thanked every God he could think of for having the seraph back them up. Gabriel was standing so close to him that their hands were nearly touching. Sam had to resist the urge to intertwine their fingers.

 

“Oh for God’s sake, **fine**. But I’m warning all of you, and especially you, feathers” Dean pointed at Gabriel for emphasis, “if anything happens to Sam or Cas, I’m throwing you into a fryer and having myself some chicken wings, got it?” Gabriel snorted, shaking his head ever so slightly.

 

“It’s cute that you think you could ever pull that off” the blonde retorted. Sam wondered if the two of them realised how similar they were… and how well they would get along if only they stopped being so stubborn and finally allowed bygones to be bygones.

 

“Well, if we’re gonna do this there’s some things you’ll need to know about Kali first” Gabriel sat down at the table, inviting everyone else to do so, “Knowledge is power, but knowing someone’s weaknesses, now that’s actual kryptonite. The Goddess Kali is more than just the ‘destroyer’. She is responsible for _all_ life, from conception to death. She creates as much as she destroys, which means that she has the potential for both good and evil. In Hinduist belief, Kali is worshipped as a nurturing mother, a sexual power, a spiritual guide, a fierce warrior, a defender and an avenger. Whatever happens when or if we find her… we must be especially wary of her. Humans are easily enchanted by her… aura”

 

While Gabriel was telling them about Kali, Sam was doing some research on how to summon or at least locate the goddess. He hoped that it did not involve travelling all the way to India and stand in a crowded temple. He did not want to have to explain to the authorities why they were sacrificing a goat in front of thousands of tourists.

 

“So what you’re saying is, if we rub her up the right way she might be willing to help us?” Dean asked the blonde, who merely nodded his approval.

 

“Exactly, Dean-o. Phrasing here will be the key to our success. Talk sweet without giving the impression that we want to butter her up. She hates flatterers… you get the gist, a high-flying acrobatics exercise on a rope of fire will seem like a piece of cake compared to this”

 

“Well don’t oversell it, dude” Dean said sarcastically. Gabriel ignored his comment, peeking over Sam’s shoulder and reading the article he had found online. Sam felt himself flush when he felt Gabriel’s hot breath on his neck.

 

“Get this. Invoking Kali as an avenger and defender addresses your need to rectify any wrong done against you – for example, having something stolen from you” Sam shot Gabriel a pointed look, noticing the proximity of the smaller man’s lips. Sam was suddenly reminded of the kisses he and the former archangel had shared the night before. The younger Winchester cleared his throat nervously before focusing on the article once again. “So, uh… it looks like if you’re gonna summon Kali you’ll have to be ready to meet her halfway. Well, considering she owes _us_ a favour…”

 

“Still, might be a good idea to have a back-up plan, Sammich” Gabriel suggested.

 

“Backing that idea up” Dean agreed, to Sam’s surprise, “what could a goddess want or need? Sacrifice, jewellery, a leprechaun?”

 

“The website I found suggests that we think not only of the wrong that has been done to us, but also about what we can do in the future to better ourselves and avoid this wrong being done to us again” Sam read out, his brows furrowed in concentration.

 

“Sounds smart. Gabriel, in the future I suggest you don’t lose your grace so we don’t have to get it back from a vindictive trickster God” Cas hit Dean in the shin under the table, causing the older hunter to hiss in pain and glare at his lover out of the corner of his eyes. It did have the benefit of shutting him up.

 

“I have a spell here” Sam announced, skim-reading through it for any ingredients they might need, “we’ll have to get candles, two black and two red. And some parchment. The ritual has to be performed on a New Moon night”

 

“That’s five days from now” Cas informed them.

 

“Okay, I guess now we wait” Sam folded his laptop shut, leaning against the back of his chair.

 

“Did we eat yet?” Dean asked rhetorically, getting up from his chair and checking his pocket for his car key, “I think I’ll drive into town to get something to eat. You guys want anything?” Sam was about to ask Dean to get him a Caesar Salad from the diner down town when Gabriel piped out.

 

“Not for us, thanks Dean. Samwise and I are going on a date” Everyone went silent at the declaration, the news taking the two Winchesters as well as Cas by surprise.

 

“Uh, we are?” Sam enquired dumbfounded, his eyebrows raised in stupefaction.

 

“You are?” Dean’s eyes darted back and forth between Gabriel and Sam. The older hunter was clearly waiting for an explanation, which Sam did not have. Three pairs of eyes were now riveted on Gabriel, but the former archangel merely smiled softly at the younger Winchester.

 

“I promised you a date, didn’t I? Fair enough, it might not be the date I had in mind, but… I was hoping that wouldn’t matter to you”

 

Sam could not help but break into a wide grin at Gabriel’s words. He felt his heart leap in his chest, and at this point the butterflies in his stomach had been replaced by an entire zoo. He could hear Dean make retching noises behind his back, but Sam did not care. All that mattered in that instant were Gabriel’s sparkling eyes and his playful grin.

 

“I’d be more than happy to go on a date with you” Sam admitted, noticing Cas’ amused expression as Dean cursed a hushed ‘you two just get a room’ under his breath. The seraph also rose from his chair and joined his lover, pulling discreetly on the sleeve of his shirt so the older Winchester would follow him out of the library to give Gabriel and Sam some privacy. The taller hunter made a mental note to thank the angel later.

 

“So, what did you have in mind?” Sam asked casually, trying to ignore the nervous feeling in his stomach at being left alone with the former archangel. Gabriel merely shrugged.

 

“There’s not much we can do. We can wait until Dean is back and kindly ask him if he’ll lend us the pimp mobile” the blonde suggested.

 

“Yeah, that won’t happen if you call his car that…”

 

“Eh” Gabriel waved his hand dismissively, “whatever I have to say, as long as we’re somehow mobile. So uh… I managed to save up forty dollars, so the diner in town is all I can afford really” Sam chuckled to himself.

 

“You saved forty dollars?” he asked, raising a disbelieving eyebrow. However, his small smile betrayed his amusement.

 

“Well… put it this way, when Dean forgot to put the change away, I swept it up. He never complained, I figured he didn’t mind so much” Gabriel defended himself. Tiny wrinkles appeared at the corner of Sam’s eyes as he let out a small laugh. Emboldened by the relaxed atmosphere, the younger Winchester covered Gabriel’s hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Every muscle in the fallen archangel’s body seemed to momentarily tense up, almost making Sam retract his hand and apologize. However, before he had a chance to react, Gabriel moved his hand around so he could intertwine their fingers. Their eyes met and in that instant, it felt like time had stopped. Sam wished he could have captured this exact moment, and vowed to remember all the emotions that had overwhelmed him as he sat holding Gabriel’s hand in what felt like a very intimate gesture.

 

“I’ll talk to Dean and get ready. Meet at the front door at 7?” Sam asked, aware of his sudden shortness of breath and the tightness in his throat.

 

“I’ll pick you up” Gabriel told the younger Winchester with a flirty wink.

 

OoO

 

Dean was surprisingly understanding when Sam asked him for a shot of baby. He wordlessly handed him the keys to the car, together with the cologne he used only on special occasions. Dean was not the kind of man to spray cologne daily, but even Sam had to admit that the smell of this perfume was very pleasing. He had thanked Dean and hurried to his room to have a shower. What had surprised the younger Winchester even more had been the knock on his bedroom door as soon as he came out of the shower.

 

“Dean? Hey, what’s up?” His brother entered his room without an invitation and rubbed his stubbly beard nervously.

 

“I suppose you’ve made the decision to give this a shot… and that’s cool, really cool… peachy” Dean did his best to sound supportive of the situation, but Sam could tell that his brother was having a hard time accepting that Gabriel and Sam were going on a date. The younger Winchester had a feeling that he could have expected this reaction regardless of who had asked him out.

 

“Look Dean, I know what you’re gonna say. Be careful, don’t get too attached, blah blah blah…”

 

“Yeah, I’m thinking all of that, too but… I actually came here to give you some tips. I’m not a professional when it comes to dating. There’s one thing however that I’m sure of, and that’s that if Gabriel can make you happy for now, then hell, who am I to rain on your parade?” Dean sighed as he thought of the best way to phrase his follow-up thought, “So, uh… he invited, he pays. He’s been gathering my spare change for a while now, he should be loaded. Also, it’s the first date, that means he’s allowed one little kiss at the end of the date if it went well”

 

“Oh Dean, come on. We’re not living in the fifties anymore” Sam told his brother jokingly, “Also, you’re not the dad of a virgin high school girl. I can handle myself, dude”

 

“Also, you don’t want sex on your first date, Sammy. Never ends well, you don’t want to give him what he wants straight away” Dean utterly disregarded Sam’s previous comment, which only amused the younger Winchester more. Dean’s protective streak was endearing in situations like this one. “But who am I to lecture you on meaningless sex anyway. Here” Sam guffawed when his brother handed him three condoms.

 

“Wow. Dude, that’s the most dad thing you’ve ever done”

 

“Shut up” Dean looked slightly hurt at his brother’s mocking tone, “you don’t know where that guy’s been in the past. Better be safe than sorry, he could be carrying all kinds of diseases”

 

“Yeah, thanks for that” Sam made a disgusted face, “way to put someone off having sex”

 

“Here” Dean raised his hands defensively, “I’m just looking out for you”

 

“Is that all then, dad? Do you want to give me the birds and the bees talk too while you’re at it?” Sam jested. Dean flipped him off, which only resulted in Sam laughing at him.

 

“Anyway, have fun Sammy. And stay safe”

 

“Yeah, thanks”

 

Dean left the room and shut the door behind him. Sam looked at the condoms in the palm of his hand and shook his head. With one last cackle, he hid them inside his drawer. Better be safe than sorry, Sam granted. The younger Winchester did not take long to get ready. He decided to wear dark jeans and his red flannel shirt, leaving the top two buttons open and displaying some skin. He passed a hand through his drying hair, wondering if he wanted to do anything special with it. Sam settled on keeping it natural. After all, this was just a simple date at a diner to get to know Gabriel.

 

At seven sharp, there was a knock on his door. Excitement put a spring in Sam’s step as he went to open the door. Gabriel was dressed in dark chinos which looked slightly too long for him (they were probably Cas’, Sam realised) and a simple white shirt French-tucked into his trousers. The sleeves of the shirt had been rolled up, showing slightly freckled skin and toned arms.  His hair was slicked back giving him a very attractive look. Sam also noticed that Gabriel was completely clean shaven, although a spot of red indicated that he had probably struggled not cutting himself. Sam appreciated the effort the former archangel had made to look good.

 

“Looking good, Samoose” Gabriel complimented, a coy grin plastered on his face. Sam struggled to swallow the nervous lump in his throat.

 

“You’re not so bad yourself” he admitted with a short laugh. He felt himself blush when Gabriel produced a single rose from behind his back. Sam looked at the flower doubtfully, which made the former archangel raise an eyebrow.

 

“Oh don’t tell me you feel uncomfortable taking a rose from me because you’re a big manly man who doesn’t understand the basics of romance…”

 

“No… no, no, not at all, I uh… just didn’t expect you to give me one, that’s all” Sam tried to rectify his mistake clumsily. The last thing he wanted was to offend Gabriel just before their date started. The taller man took the rose between two fingers, forcing a thankful smile.

 

“You’re many things, Sam Winchester, but a good liar ain’t one of them” Gabriel remarked sarcastically. Sam suddenly felt very self-conscious and ungrateful.

 

“I’m just not used to people being so… kind to me” the younger Winchester admitted, his voice close to a whisper. Gabriel’s features softened at the confession, his hands finding Sam’s in a soothing gesture.

 

“Well, you better get used to that level of corniness… I’m a romantic at heart. Sue me. Guess you’ll have to get used to me making my affections known vocally and materially. That’s how I roll, Samshine”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind” Sam promised. He placed the rose delicately on his desk as he went to grab the keys to the car. The short walk to baby was a silent one, and Sam could feel himself building up a sweat already. He could not remember the last time he had felt this nervous fora date. Gabriel looked like a natural, like he had done this plenty of time before. For some reason, the younger Winchester had a feeling that he would be mistaken in assuming so.

 

“So, the same diner you sexually assaulted me the other night, then?” Sam asked, trying to diffuse the tension. Gabriel mock gasped in shock.

 

“Excuse you, you seemed to be enjoying it judging by how tight your jeans felt” Gabriel commented cockily. Sam had the decency to blush at the comment.

 

“I’ll take that as a yes”

 

The drive was as silent as the walk to the car. Sam felt like he should think of ice breakers, then again all the topics the younger Winchester came up with were heaven-related, hell-related, hunting-related or worse, Loki-related. Great. When Sam parked the Impala, he started to feel like all of this was a mistake.

 

“Look Sammy, if we’re gonna do this, I need you to relax” Gabriel piped up when he noticed the younger Winchester’s uneasiness. “Take a deep breath in… and exhale” Sam did as he was told mechanically, finding the sound of Gabriel’s words reassuring. He shot the former archangel an apologetic smile.

 

“Sorry, I… I haven’t been on a date in a while”

 

“Neither have I, to be honest” Gabriel squeezed Sam’s hand gently, “but I promise I won’t bite”

 

Sam laughed nervously before getting out of the car and hurrying to the other side to open the passenger door for Gabriel. The blonde looked both amused and flattered by the gesture. Sam noticed with fondness that the former archangel seemed to be having the time of his life tonight… and maybe, just maybe, the younger Winchester should try to do the same. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

 

Sam lead Gabriel to the door, his hand hovering over the former archangel’s smaller back. The tall hunter held the door open for his date, earning himself an exaggerated bow of thanks. The waitress on duty looked less than pleased that customers had decided to show up and ruin her quiet shift. Sam and Gabriel walked to a free table by the window and took place face to face, both taking a quick look at the menu although they had had a fair idea of what they wanted to eat well before stepping into the diner. Not that there was much choice, but still. The waitress came over and plastered a fake smile on her face as she took their order: two cheeseburgers with fries, two chocolate milkshakes and a large jug of water – just because Sam insisted.

 

“You need to stay properly hydrated, Gabe”, the younger Winchester gently chastised.

 

“Hey, I’m having a milkshake”, Gabriel defended himself while sporting an endearing pout.

 

“That’s really not the same… come on, at least one glass of water, alright?” Sam felt like an adult trying to convince a young child to eat its vegetables. The way Gabriel moaned loudly did nothing to improve the situation, but it did have the effect of making Sam laugh out loud.

 

“Fiiiiiiiine”

 

“Good boy” Sam winked, wondering where the sudden boldness had come from. Gabriel raised an appreciative eyebrow, a dirty grin tugging at his lips.

 

“I never pegged you for the dominating type, Sammich”

 

“I guess there’s a lot about me you wouldn’t expect”

 

Sam’s nervousness progressively melted away, and was replaced by a flirty cockiness. Gabriel seemed to enjoy the change. The former archangel leaned his forearms on the wobbly aluminium table, looking up at Sam with his golden eyes. The younger Winchester could not resist ruffling Gabriel’s perfectly slicked back hair, earning himself an annoyed groan from the smaller man.

 

“Was that really necessary?”, Gabriel complained as he tried to flatten his mane once again. Sam merely grinned and shrugged his shoulders nonplussed.

 

“I prefer when your hair is messy anyway”, the younger Winchester said, “besides, you didn’t complain yesterday when I messed them up during our snogging session”

 

“Damn right I didn’t”

 

The waitress brought their milkshakes and the water over before hurrying back behind the counter again. Gabriel was all over the sweet drink, taking large sips through the pink straw. An enthusiastic whimper escaped the blonde’s lip as the chocolate flavour invaded his palate. Sam could only admire how decadently beautiful the former archangel looked, even without his angelic glow about him.

 

“You humans have invented some great stuff over the years, but… this” Gabriel pointed at his shake, “this has to be one of the best concoctions ever brewed by man”

 

“Other people would say alcohol is the best man-made drink” Sam argued jokingly, taking a small sip of his own drink and filling up their glasses with tap water. Gabriel shook his head vehemently.

 

“Mark my words, if cows knew the deliciousness that comes out of their udders, they wouldn’t give their milk away so willingly” Sam could not help but snort at the ridiculousness of Gabriel’s premise. The younger Winchester shook his head, sighing audibly.

 

“Oh Gabe, only you”

 

“You know what Sammich?”, Gabriel ventured to lean over the table once again to stare intently into his date’s eyes, “I love to make you laugh. Your eyes light up when you smile”

 

Sam cleared his throat embarrassed, feeling his cheeks heat up at the compliment. He smiled lopsidedly at Gabriel, passing a hand through his hair to distract from his awkward demeanour. The former archangel rolled his eyes in irritation.

 

“Father, you need to learn to take a compliment” Gabriel muttered under his breath, finishing his milkshake in two sips. Sam suddenly felt bad for seemingly offending the blonde.

 

“No wait, sorry I… I’m just…”

 

“Not used to it? Yeah, I think I got that” Gabriel quickly flashed a reassuring smile, but before Sam had a chance to retort the waitress slammed their dinners before them. Gabriel’s eyes went wide with anticipation at the sight of the juicy cheeseburger. They ate in relative silence, occasionally cracking a joke or sharing flirty gazes. Neither of them had realised how hungry they actually were. Their plates were empty in under twenty minutes. Gabriel leaned back, tapping his belly contently.

 

“That was so good” he commented, closing his eyes happily, “definitely worth the forty dollars we’ll be spending here. Hope you don’t mind getting desert somewhere else… and on you?” Gabriel asked sheepishly. Sam chuckled at the former archangel’s uneasiness, merely nodding his head in approval.

 

“Of course. I actually have an idea where we could go before that” Sam said mysteriously, wiggling his eyebrows much in the same fashion as Gabriel. The blonde perked up ever so slightly, an excited glint in his eyes.

 

“Where?” he asked. Sam feigned ignorance, remaining silent. Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows questioningly, a childlike pout on his face. “Pleaaaase…”

 

“My lips are sealed…” Sam told him with a smirk. “Come on, let us get out of here”

 

OoO

 

Sam was driving at a leisurely pace down the highway 281 out of Lebanon. There was no rush to get to their destination, after all. The more time he spent with Gabriel the better. They were listening to one of Dean’s rock tapes, but it served more as a background noise to their chatter. Something suddenly popped in Sam’s mind, and he wondered if he could ask that question without offending the archangel.

 

“Hey, Gabe?”

 

“What’s the word, hummingbird?”

 

“I always wondered uh… how accurate _is_ the bible?” Gabriel seemed taken aback by the question judging by his stunned silence.

 

“Uh… I guess some parts are more accurate than others. You know the prophets, they can get a bit… messed up in the head sometimes” Sam nodded to himself as he was reminded of Chuck.

 

“But I mean, for example… were you really sent by God to tell the virgin Mary she would give birth to baby Jesus?” the younger Winchester ventured, hoping that providing the former archangel with a concrete example would result in a clearer response. Gabriel chuckled slightly at Sam’s words.

 

“Ah, good old Luke… Mary was many things, but a virgin was never one of them” Sam felt his jaw go slack as he listened to Gabriel’s revelation.

 

“WHAT?”

 

“Sam, did they never teach you reproduction in school?” Gabriel wondered sarcastically.

 

“No, I mean yes, I mean… Gabriel, do you realise what this means?” Sam could not believe how laid back the former archangel seemed to be about the situation. Gabriel merely shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I guess it simply means that the Jehovah’s witnesses were right all along. No biggie. But to answer your question, the announcement of Jesus’ birth did not quite go like it’s told in the bible. Luke embellished the tale a little. I had already left heaven by then, but I was still tuned into angel radio by that point. Raphael was meant to tell Mary that she was pregnant with the future King of the Jews. I kinda swooped in and, boy, you should have seen the state of her. She was a mess. Pregnant out of wed-lock, she was in pretty bad shape. I made up the ‘God is your baby daddy’ thing so she would stop feeling so bad about herself. After all, dear old Joseph was as much to blame as she was, really”

 

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you” Sam interrupted Gabriel, genuinely entertained by his date’s story, “you do realise that you’re probably the reason why Christianity developed?”

 

“Maybe”, Gabriel mused, “maybe not. Destiny works in mysterious ways. I’m pretty sure for a long time after that, the whole of the heavenly host was looking for me. Loki agreed to hide me for a while, he was quite amused. Until Christianity pretty much made his religion redundant… eh”

 

The former archangel shrugged his shoulders as if he was barely affected by the turn the conversation had taken, but Sam knew better. He did not push the subject, not wanting to bring up bad memories on their first date.

 

“Here we go” Sam announced, parking the Impala on the side of the road, “this is where we’re going”

 

Gabriel raised a dubious eyebrow, looking at Sam with scepticism written all over his face. They were literally in the middle of nowhere. Sam merely stepped out of the car and went to sit on baby’s bonnet, leaning back so he was lying over the windscreen with both his arms supporting his neck and head. He heard Gabriel climb out of the car as well and join him on the bonnet. Sam waited until the smaller man had mimicked his position before explaining himself.

 

“Look up” he instructed the former archangel, “we’re far away from the town that the light pollution doesn’t affect the night sky anymore. I love looking at the stars. They’re so beautiful, so calm, so pure…” Sam lost himself in the inky sky, scanning it for constellations he might recognise. He almost missed Gabriel scooting closer to him and intertwining their fingers. The former archangel pointed at a random spot in the darkness of the sky.

 

“That constellation”, he said proudly, “Sirius. That’s my creation”  

 

“Really?”

 

“Sure is, Samshine. Also, that one, Castor. And Pollux. And Procyon”

 

“Wow… that’s impressive” Sam compliments, suddenly more interested in Gabriel than the night sky. His eyes undoubtedly held the same wonder and amazement while gazing at the archangel as they did when he stared that the stars. This right there, this was perfection. This would become Sam’s definition of happiness. Only when Gabriel turned his head to face him did the younger Winchester realise that the former archangel had been talking to him all this time.

 

“Hellooo, Earth to Samuel Winchester”

 

“You’re amazing” Sam blurted out, his free hand cupping the side of Gabriel’s face. His thumb began stroking the blonde’s cheekbone, and the smaller man’s eyes fluttered close at the tender gesture. Gabriel leaned into the touch like an overgrown cat. When he opened his eyes again, Sam could have sworn that they shone brighter than ever before. Almost like all the starlight had been captured within those orbs. “I can’t believe you agreed to a date with me. I’m… I’m tainted”

 

“Hey” Gabriel tightened his hold on Sam’s hand, “I’m not an angel anymore, but I don’t need my grace to tell you that you are not tainted. Sam, your soul shines so bright, I wish you could see it through my eyes. Besides… I’m the one who should feel lucky. I’m the coward here. A mess, a fuck-up. I shouldn’t be deserving of your kindness”

 

Sam merely smiled humourlessly, sighing heavily as his eyes found Gabriel’s once again.

 

“We’re just two hot messes, aren’t we? Not surprising that we found our way to each other”

 

“I suppose it’s comforting to know we’re not alone in this mad world” Gabriel whispered, closing the distance between him and Sam and sealing their lips with a kiss, “and I’m glad I have you to guide me through it”

 

The younger Winchester fisted Gabriel’s hair and pulled him closer, their kiss becoming rougher, more desperate, more passionate… as all thought about desert were forgotten. Needless to say that they would not tell Dean that Gabriel sucked off his precious baby brother at the back of the Impala that night.

 

TBC.  


	12. Chapter 12

Loki had had a rough day. Several human hunters had picked up and investigated the deaths that had been his doing in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Seven out of the ten hunters had tried summoning him, hoping they would be able to trap and kill the trickster God. Fools, the lot of them. They did not even know what they were hunting. Those seven hunters now all believed that they had managed to kill a trickster more or less effortlessly, depending on how had got with him. It had taken Loki a lot of energy to manifest seven exact duplicates of himself over a span of two and a half days – and now, Loki felt tired. He had not been familiar with the sensation since he had created the magical spear that had been used to kill the Norse God Baldur a long time ago. Loki allowed himself to feel nostalgic over the good old times, when the Norse Gods still had meaning and were still worshipped. A time before the coming of power of these arrogant Judeo-Christian entities. Who would have thought that they would one day be able to compete with the likes of Buddhism and Islam? Not Loki in any case, and this continuous plot twist that was Christianity had never failed to baffle him.

 

The God took a sip of his drink as he leaned back in his red leather chair, watching Fenrir closely as his son considered the glass chess board before them. Loki knew already that he would win – not necessarily because his pawns were set up in a more advantageous way, but because the God knew that his son was not all that tactical. Leaving Fenrir to his thinking, Loki’s thoughts travelled back to Gabriel. Since their first meeting, the God had been in the archangel’s debt, and that state had made Loki incredibly uncomfortable. He had expected Gabriel to use his superior position to his advantage, but very quickly the trickster God realised one thing about the angel: Gabriel had many weaknesses. One of them was that he was too trusting for his own good. His willingness to be helpful and to please stemmed from a blatant naïve belief in the goodness of people. However, Gabriel was not without his paradoxes – despite the apparent kindness emanating from him, the archangel hated his own kind. At least, that had been the Norse God’s first impression. With time, and when he got to know Gabriel better, Loki came to understand how exquisitely complex the angel’s mind truly was. He, in fact, loved all of his siblings deeply, but mainly his three older brothers. The younger angels, especially those he had known and trained before leaving heaven, held a special place in Gabriel’s heart. Some names Loki had managed to remember: Anael, Castiel, Balthazar, Samandriel… the God knew there had been others, but he had never cared enough to remember all of them. Gabriel also held his dead-beat father in very high esteem in the early days, until he came to realise – with Loki’s help – that daddy was never coming back. And lastly, the archangel always had had a soft spot of humanity. _They are flawed, but beautiful, Loki. Most of them try to be better. That’s more than can be said for the angels, who tend to remain stuck in their own ways. Take my word for it._  

 

Fenrir placed his knight several squares before Loki’s queen, effectively trapping her, but leaving the way to his King open. The Norse God grinned amused. Casually, he moved one of his rooks towards Fenrir’s King, uttering a cheerful ‘check’ in the process. As Fenrir’s forehead creased in concentration once again, Loki allowed himself to muse a little bit more.

 

Too much heart had always been Gabriel’s problem. Simultaneously, it had guaranteed the archangel’s loyalty to Loki, who had accepted him as a member of his family to replace the mean older brothers and a good-for-nothing father. Gabriel had always been the sociable cub in a pack of aggressive dogs lead by a lone wolf. Loki saw himself as the alpha of his family, and his job as the leader of his pack was to protect his family, even the family that he unexpectedly acquired along the way. Gabriel had become a liability to the safety of the group, so it was only logical that he had been shunned. However, the archangel had always thrived in a community. It was therefore not surprising that Gabriel had decided to find the Winchesters. Powerful allies were just what the archangel was after to ensure his personal protection. Call it survival instinct, if you wish. Loki could not say that he had been shocked to hear that the angel he had once loved like a brother had found refuge with hunters. So, when Sleipnir had interrupted his father and brother’s chess game some twenty minutes earlier with the news that Gabriel and Sam Winchester had apparently become intimate, Loki had merely smiled knowingly.

 

“Do you want me to get rid of the Winchester boy, father?”, Sleipnir eventually asked when his father did not show any interest in the revelation, too engrossed in his chess match. Loki merely watched as Fenrir moved his knight back to his initial position closer to his King, but it was too late. The trickster God advanced his Queen upon Fenrir’s King, exclaiming a definite ‘check mate’ as he did so.

 

“Let destiny unfold the way it was intended to”, Loki answered mystically, “think of the situation as an elaborate game of chess. It’s not just about getting rid of the pawns, knights and rooks in your way. Your ultimate goal is to kill the King. Keep that aim in mind at all times when you move the pieces on the board. Don’t worry about anything else” Loki flicked Fenrir’s glass King off the chess board. The piece came crashing to the ground, where it shattered in tiny little pieces. A mischievous grin graced the trickster God’s lips as he rose from his leather seat.

 

Loki acknowledged the possibility that Gabriel and the Winchesters might momentarily have a better shot at his King. However, true to his overly confident attitude, Loki decided not to worry about that eventuality just yet.

 

OoO

 

The bunker was freezing cold when Sam woke up next to Gabriel that morning. It had been five days since their first date, and the younger Winchester had no intention to let the former archangel sleep in his own bed. The warmth radiating from Gabriel was far too tempting to not take advantage of. Sam moved closer to the smaller man, wrapping a long arm around his waist and letting his hand rest over Gabriel’s soft abdomen. Sam felt the other man push against the firm body snuggling up to him, a content sigh pushing past his thin lips. The younger Winchester smiled fondly at Gabriel, unable to resist the urge to place a tender kiss on the back of his lover’s head.

 

“M’rning, S’mshine”, Gabriel mumbled sleepily.

 

“Morning”, Sam greeted, his voice barely louder than a whisper. He placed a final kiss on the smaller man’s head. “Sorry for waking you up”

 

“You never.” Gabriel turned around in Sam’s embrace only to nuzzle at Sam’s neck lazily, his lips placing feather-like kisses on Sam’s collarbone. The tickling feeling sent a shiver down Sam’s spine, for which the younger Winchester earned himself a cheeky giggle from Gabriel. Sam tightened his hold on the smaller man, exhaling loudly as he buried his nose in the former archangel’s messy hair.

 

“I want to remember this moment”, Sam whispered, his voice tight with emotion. Gabriel looked up at him with one eyebrow raised questioningly.

 

“Everything alright, Samsquatch?”, the blonde enquired curiously as he propped himself onto his right forearm to have a better view at Sam. The younger Winchester mirrored his position before answering in an anxious tone.

 

“I’m worried about tonight”, Sam admitted, “what if Kali hurts someone? What if she hurts you?”, he added uneasily, his tone growing more and more panicked as he thought of the worst-case scenarios. Gabriel sighed loudly as his hands went to rub the back of his own neck awkwardly.

 

“Do we really have to talk about this now?”

 

“Yes”, Sam insisted, feeling himself getting more and more agitated, “this is kinda important to me, you see…”

 

“Because you think it’s not for me?”, Gabriel asked rhetorically.

 

“You don’t seem to be caring that much”

 

“Sam”, Gabriel put on hand on the side of the younger Winchester’s face and offered him a reassuring smile, “my beautiful, majestic moose, let’s not fight, okay? If you’re worried about tonight, we’ll talk about it calmly, yeah?”

 

Sam sighed in resignation, nodding his head gently.

 

“Kali won’t hurt any of you. If anything, she’s pissed at me. Her beef is with me, not with anyone else”, Gabriel assured his lover, “and I highly doubt that she’ll hurt me straight away. Yes, I lied to her, but she settled that matter the first time she tried to kill me. We go back a long time, and despite everything, I’m fairly confident that she’ll at least listen. We share an area of expertise, after all; the administration of justice. Leave the talking entirely to me, and I promise you, I’ll be fine. Do you trust me?”

 

Sam took a deep, calming breath, trying to remember every single word his lover was speaking so he could hold them against Gabriel should he had the audacity to die that same night. The younger Winchester could not claim that he was entirely comforted, but he also knew that this was as good a pep-talk as he was gonna get. Sam managed a small smile he hoped looked convincing enough to the former archangel.

 

“If you die, I swear to God I’ll come find you wherever you are, resuscitate you and then kill you again”, Sam threatened as he pulled Gabriel closer to his chest.

 

“That better be a promise, Samsquatch”

 

OoO

 

Sam and Gabriel spent the entire day together in Sam’s bedroom, mostly watching Netflix and cuddling the living soul out of each other. Although the two had become more intimate on their date, Sam had kept in mind Dean’s advice. He and Gabriel had not had sex yet, and the blonde had not pushed him either, something which Sam was infinitely grateful for. As the sun had begun to set, and day had made way to night, Sam and Gabriel came out of their den and joined Dean and Cas in the bunker library. Sam, who had written down the instructions to summon Kali, began setting up the place as bet as he could. He grabbed four candles, two blacks and two reds, and placed them in a four-point compass pattern. The two black candles were placed on the northern and southern points, while the red candles were placed east and west. Sam had printed a picture of Kali as depicted in Indian folklore, and placed it in the middle of the circle. The younger Winchester then grabbed a piece of parchment and asked Gabriel to write Loki’s name on it, while Sam placed a bowl on top of Kali’s picture. Pleased with the set-up, Sam then turned to the former archangel.

 

“Alright, so you’ve looked at the instructions earlier this week yes?” Gabriel nodded, stepping forward as Dean and Cas silently watched from where they stood. “Okay, so the website suggested meditation beforehand to get in touch with your spirituality, but I suppose you can skip that part if you want”

 

“Does it get any more spiritual than an archangel, even a fallen one?”, the blonde enquired rhetorically. Sam merely smiled tensely.

 

“Okay, well it’s your time to shine I guess. Here’s the lighter. Good luck”, Sam added after a short pause, unsure whether he should kiss Gabriel in front of Dean and Cas. The younger Winchester decided against it, merely stepping away to give the former archangel some space. Gabriel took a deep breath before edging closer to the circle. He ignited the lighter dextrally and crouched so he could light the most southern candle.

 

“Kali Mahamaya, defend me, avenge me of a wrong” The blonde repeated the chant for every candle he lit before standing up and lifting his arm up at shoulder height, his hand outstretched and circling over the four candles. A high-pitched, tinnitus-like sound resonated in Sam’s ears. It was not painful, merely uncomfortable. Judging by the way Dean held a hand to his ear, his brother could hear the sound too, while Cas looked fidgety at the most.  

 

“Kali Mahamaya, I Gabriel call to you. All that I am, I open to you. Hear now the wrong done to me. The trickster God Loki stole my grace, the grace of an archangel, and I seek your aid as avenger”

 

Gabriel ignited the lighter once more and held the flame close to the parchment in his left hand. As the flames began licking at the yellowish paper, the former archangel dropped it into the bowl where it burnt to ashes. As the parchment landed heavily into the bowl, the ground seemed to start shaking beneath their feet. Sam had to hold onto the table of the library to avoid sinking to his knees.

 

“Kali Mahamaya, let my vengeance be done”

 

With those last words, the air filled with static causing interference with the lights of the bunker, which began to flicker uncontrollably before eventually bursting under the sheer energy that was released. The shaking became so intense that Sam wondered if they had caused an earthquake to hit Kansas by summoning the Indian deity. The inside of the circle glowed red and orange as flames began sprouting from the ground and licking at the wooden boards of the bunker floor. Soon, a blaze burnt in the library, and the fire rose to about six feet off the ground. Sam and Dean shot each other a worried look, wondering if they should have summoned Kali somewhere other than their home which now was at risk of burning down to nothing. As the flames gradually started to fade, the lights seemed to mere seconds earlier. The body of a dark-skinned woman dressed in colourful traditional Indian robes appeared amidst the flames. Kali stood tall and proud before them, her chin raised pretentiously. The flames at her feet eventually died down as everyone held their breath, especially Sam. Gabriel was the first one to break the silence.

 

“Hello, Kali. Looking as drop-dead gorgeous as ever”, he complimented her, much to Sam’s anger. The goddess did not seem impressed by Gabriel’s words.

 

“Gabriel… I could not believe my ears when I heard your voice, and your name being spoken to invoke me”, she admitted, her eyes taking in her surroundings. Her gaze came to rest on Sam, and he noticed how her eyes narrowed at the sight of him. Something inside the younger Winchester twisted uncomfortably.

 

“I have to admit, this was not my idea”, Gabriel spoke softly, keeping a reasonable distance away from Kali. The goddess focused her attention back on the former archangel.

 

“No. You have your boyfriend over there to thank for that”, she spoke with venom. Gabriel visibly tensed as she spoke.

 

“I figured I would give it a shot. After all, the Winchesters were kind enough to take you away from harm’s way when Lucifer tried to kill you” Gabriel observed Kali’s shoulders slump as the memory of that night washed over her. Her jaw tightened as she shot Sam and Dean suspicious looks. Cas looked ready to pounce at the slightest signs of danger, and the younger Winchester noticed how the seraph held the angel blade close to his thigh. He did not seem worried about Kali seeing it… probably a method of dissuasion. Not that Sam thought it would work on a powerful goddess.

 

“They did. Although I loathed every minute I spent in that vehicle…”, she commented haughtily, and had Gabriel not shot Dean a warning glare, Sam was convinced his brother would have said something. The older hunter merely cleared his throat, lowering his eyes as Kali stared at him almost challengingly.

 

“Kali, I need your help with Loki. I realise that you don’t owe me anything, but I hoped to appeal to the justice-serving part of you. You and I, we are not that different. Our jobs both included administering justice where wrongs had been done. I know the great gratification that comes with punishing those deserving it. And believe me, Loki deserves this…”

 

Sam’s eyebrows furrowed when he saw a small, almost cruel smirk appear on Kali’s lips.

 

“Are you sure you didn’t deserve it, Gabriel?”, she asked, her tone patronizing. Gabriel’s face visibly fell at her words, and Sam felt the urge to rush to his lover’s side and shield him from the goddess’ harsh statement. Kali’s eyes once again came to rest on Sam, who shifted uncomfortably from side to side.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” This time, it was Castiel who had spoken. Kali spun around to eye the seraph more closely.

 

“Castiel. Gabriel’s brother?” Her question hung in the air for several seconds, but no one confirmed her suspicion. “Well, young angel, what I mean is Gabriel was after all responsible for Odin’s death. Why should Loki not have punished _him_? The way I see it, he was even lenient with your brother”

 

Sam’s blood boiled in his veins, and despite Dean warningly calling out his name, the younger Winchester could not hold back the remark that slipped past his tongue against his own will.

 

“How is Gabriel to blame for the death of all these Gods? It was Lucifer’s doing, not Gabriel’s. How would you feel if we personally held _you_ responsible for the wrongdoings of, let’s say, Shiva? I hear he is meant to destroy the whole universe in order to re-create it. Fair enough”, Sam raised his hands as he spoke, “but what if, I don’t know, the Norse Gods decided that they did not like the idea of a Hindu God ending the world? Would it be fair to hold _you_ responsible for it, and to punish _you_ for Shiva’s plans?”

 

Kali stared blankly at Sam, her face not betraying any emotion. The younger Winchester could however tell that he had struck a nerve when he noticed the goddess ball her slender hands into fists. Cas tightened his hold around the angel blade while Gabriel closed visibly refrained from rolling his eyes.

 

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, human”, Kali told Sam, her voice dangerously calm.

 

“I also think that you actually do owe Gabriel something. He could have left you to rot with the other Gods when Lucifer showed up and ruined the prom, but instead he saved you. Even after you killed him with what you thought was his own archangel blade. Do you realise how much you have to care about someone to do this? The only reason he came to the Elysian Hotel was to save you. To make sure you were safe and that Lucifer did not get to you. And you will not even help him get his grace back? You are some example of justice”, Sam concluded on a sour and sarcastic note.

 

The tension in the air was palpable. Kali looked at each person in the room in turn, her eyes staring more intently at Sam than anyone else. Everyone was on edge, expecting the goddess to strike in anger. The younger Winchester took a bracing breath and straightened his shoulders in an attempt to look intimidating, although he knew deep down that the goddess could see right through that act. Gabriel shot his lover a concerned look, and the former archangel visibly struggled to swallow due to the lump of emotion in his throat. Dean merely glowered at the goddess, obviously daring her to lay a hand on his brother. Kali eventually looked at Gabriel and Sam noticed with confusion how her features softened.

 

“You and your boyfriend both stink of horse. Unless you’ve enjoyed a romantic horseback ride under the sunset, my guess is that Loki is aware of your plan to get your grace back and has sent Sleipnir to spy on you”, the goddess explained, shocking everyone in the room. Gabriel raised his chin ever so slightly as he tried to appear strong in the face of such troubling news.

 

“It wouldn’t surprise me. He always used his sons to do his dirty work”, Gabriel commented. Kali nodded, exhaling loudly as she directly addressed both the Winchester brothers this time.

 

“I will not get involved with Loki. The stakes are far too high, but I will give you some advice. The only way to get Gabriel’s grace back is to trick Loki. Not easy to manipulate a trickster God, which is why you’ll have to be sly about it. Gain his trust. Make him believe you’re on his side, not on Gabriel’s. Become his right-hand man and then show him that you can be entrusted with the more difficult tasks. Like killing an archangel, for example. That’s the only way I can see this plan working out. But remember: one foot out of line, and Loki will have all of you personally killed. Right now, anyone who is not Gabriel is collateral damage at the most. Don’t make the mistake to think that earning his trust will be easy. He’s many things, but he’s not stupid”

 

Kali then took several steps towards Gabriel and placed a soft hand on the archangel’s cheek. Her face came dangerously close to his, and Sam was about to snap at her to back off, but then he saw her whisper something in the blonde’s ear. Sam was too far away to hear what it was, but the way Gabriel’s features relaxed, the younger Winchester could only assume that the goddess had apologised for her behaviour.

 

“Good luck, humans. And Gabriel, I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for”

 

With those words, Kali disappeared in a whirlwind of flames which disturbed even the books in the library judging by the way the shelves trembled and creaked threateningly. Everyone remained silent for a while, not quite sure what to make of the goddess’ words. Sam knew however what he had to do. He would deliver himself to Loki and gain his trust. Then, he would find Gabriel’s grace and return it to his lover in time for the archangel to kill the trickster God. It felt right and it felt like Sam’s duty somehow. As the younger Winchester was about to volunteer for the job, Dean stepped forward with a look of determination on his face.

 

“I guess I’ll go find myself a trickster God”, he announced loudly, looking as ready as ever to propose himself. Whether he had read Sam’s mind like was so often the case, or he truly believed in Gabriel’s cause, the younger hunter could not be sure. Cas and Gabriel loudly voiced their surprise with sharp ‘are you down right crazy’ and ‘Dean, no it’s too dangerous’ being uttered here and there. The green-eyed man would have none of it.

 

“It only makes sense. We can’t send Sam, because apparently one of Loki’s sons knows they’re somehow involved with each other. It’s far too risky and obvious, Loki would never buy it. If he’s been toeing us for a while, there’s a chance that he picked up on the unresolved issues between me and Gabriel. If I go to him and tell him that I want this dude out of our lives, he’ll believe it. Trust me, he will”

 

“Dean, I can’t let you do this”, Cas interjected, grabbing onto Dean’s wrist urgently. The older hunter merely intertwined their fingers, but spoke in a firm voice.

 

“Like a very wise blue-eyed, drop-dead sexy angel once told me… unfortunately, you don’t get to decide whether I go on a hunt. You only get to choose whether you’ll be helping me, or waiting bitterly for me to come back”, Dean repeated the words Cas had used on him earlier that week. The seraph did not know how to answer, and Sam could swear that he was holding back tears.

 

“Dean…”, Gabriel said softly, catching Dean’s attention, “you don’t have to do this. I know you just said you wanted to, but consider your options carefully. Once you’re in Loki’s circle, there’s no getting out. It’s like joining a mafia, he will hunt you down and kill you if he finds out you’re working for us”

 

“Well, I always said that I would go down swinging”, Dean told Gabriel, who merely raised a dubious eyebrow, “plus, Sammy made a point a while back. You did sacrifice your life to save us back at the Elysian Hotel. This is the least we can do”

 

Gabriel merely nodded, casting an insecure glance in Sam’s direction. The younger Winchester felt overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he was eternally grateful that Dean would do something like this for him, but he also did not want to see his brother walk to his immediate death. His heart was filled with love for the three men standing in this room as Sam realised how lucky he was to have such devoted people he could call family. Then again, he was terrified at the thought of losing any of the people present in this library. The younger Winchester knew that their options were limited, and he felt guilty for even considering allowing Dean to go on with this plan. It was crazy, it was hopeless…

 

“As soon as things get too dangerous for you, Dean… please, call Cas. I don’t want you dying, you hear me?”, Sam ordered his brother, his voice filled with emotions. Dean merely chuckled softly.

 

“I won’t hesitate, Sammy, I promise. I’ve been meaning to get stuck in a hunt for a while now. Plus, would be nice to get back at this son of a bitch for killing those people in Jonesborough”, Dean added. Sam merely nodded, still unsure if this was the best idea they had ever had.

 

Then again, when did they ever have good ideas that did not involve putting their own lives on the line?

 

TBC.


	13. Chapter 13

“Hello, boys?”, an English drawl greeted Dean and Cas, causing the hunter to drop his wrench to the ground. The angel, who had been leaning against the Impala while Dean had been working on it, grabbed his angel blade and pointed it menacingly at the King of Hell.

 

“Crowley, what the hell are you doing here?”, Dean asked grumpily, bending over to pick the tool off the ground.

 

“Thought I’d drop by for cake and a lovely cup of tea, but then I remembered that one, you cavemen are not that sophisticated, and two, I’m not allowed into your home sweet home”, Crowley pretended to flick fluff off his expensive suit jacket before acknowledging the hunter and seraph again.

 

“Cut the crap, what do you really want?”, Dean snapped as he wiped his greasy hands on his jeans. Crowley merely tutted the older Winchester disapprovingly.

 

“Is that any way to treat a potential ally in your silly quest to steal archangel grace from a trickster God?”, the King of Hell asked rhetorically, conjuring a cigar with a mere wave of his hand. His statement took both Dean and Cas by surprise. The two shared an uncertain look as they determined whether Crowley was being serious or not. Judging by the smug look on the demon’s face, he had gotten word of their situation somehow.

 

“How did you know about that?”, Cas asked suspiciously, not lowering his guard just yet. Crowley’s eyes darted to the seraph, eyeing him carefully.

 

“My little finger told me that a certain fallen archangel had taken refuge in your bunker”

 

“For God’s sake”, Dean moaned out loud, rolling his eyes for effect, “I’m fed up having demons and other half-Gods spying on us. You guys really have nothing else to do all day? Like scaring off teenagers trying to summon demons in between periods for the kicks?”

 

“As entertaining as this sounds, I could not pass on an occasion to check in on my favourite train wrecks”, Crowley replied with the same sarcasm that Dean had mustered, “but if you’re not interested in my help in defeating Loki, then I better be on my way”

 

“Wait”, Cas cried out, putting his angel blade away, “what makes you think that you have what it takes to take down Loki?”

 

“Because, feathers, I know what can kill dear old Loki”, Crowley explained, looking exasperated at having to spell out everything for the seraph. Cas tilted his head to the side, looking genuinely confused. Meanwhile, Dean did not manage to hide his surprise.

 

“You know how to kill him? And you would give it to us for free?”, Dean asked, raising one eyebrow inquisitively. Crowley huffed disdainfully.

 

“Of course not, squirrel, I’m not stupid. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, you had better remember that when you’re trying to convince Loki that you’re on his side” The advice sounded more like a cautionary tale, and Dean knew that Crowley made a fair point.

 

“What’s in it for you, then?”

 

“Oh Dean, always so suspicious. But fair enough, you want to know the terms of the agreement before putting your signature to the paper. You’re quite right, don’t trust anyone. Loki has something that I’m very much interested in using. And as soon as my minions reported that you chuckleheads have been weirdly obsessed with him recently, I saw in you a safe bet”

 

“What exactly is it that you’re after, Crowley?”, Cas demanded to know, his voice stern and unrelenting.

 

“If you must know, feathers… I am after a necklace that once belonged to Loki’s daughter, Hel. That necklace holds the souls of those that were admitted in the Norse underworld when Hel was still in office. If I agree to help you, I want you to find this necklace and give it to me”, Crowley explained, his eyes riveted on Cas, “I would be careful not to let him catch you. He’s a big sentimental.”

 

“No way”, Dean said categorically, “there’s no way we are going to help you get more souls to fill the ranks of your army. If you want that stupid necklace, then you go face Loki on your own some other time”

 

“In that case I guess I won’t give you the only weapon capable of killing Loki for good. Was good knowing you, squirrel, feathers…” Crowley acknowledged both Dean and Cas before turning his back on them. Just as he was about to click his fingers and disappear on them, the King of Hell seemed to remember something of greatest importance. “Oh, and also… I don’t know about you, but I think Loki will love to know that good old Dean Winchester here is trying to double-cross him. How do you think he’ll celebrate the news? Kidnap Sam and torture him to death? Or maybe snatch Cas and take his grace away, too?”

 

Dean tensed at the demon’s words, his nostrils flaring as he tried hard not to pounce at the shorter man. Cas seemed to notice Dean’s emotional state and the angel took several steps closer to his lover, trying to quell the murderous rage he could see in the older Winchester’s eyes by gently touching the man’s shoulder.

 

“You bastard…”, Dean hissed, his fury clearly audible in his tone. Crowley merely turned his head slightly to the side so Dean and Cas could see the lopsided smirk on his face.

 

“Darling, you’ll have to do better than that to hurt my feelings”, Crowley joked. Dean was fuming, and not even Cas’ usually appeasing touch could appease his mood. He knew that he had to accept Crowley’s deal, or Loki would find out and undoubtedly strike. Dean hated the thought of teaming up with the King of Hell again, but what choice did he have when Cas and Sam’s lives were on the line?

 

“Fine, I’ll do it. No funny business. If anything happens to Sam or Cas, you don’t get your necklace and the deal is off. Same if I don’t get that weapon you’re talking about. Capisce?”

 

Crowley grinned openly now, not bothering to hide how pleased he was with the outcome of the conversation. The King of Hell clicked his fingers once, a roll of parchment appearing in his hand. After a quick read through of the terms of their contract, Dean accepted the luxurious sterling silver fountain pen Crowley handed him and signed his name at the bottom of the page. Cas did not speak, merely observing the exchange warily.

 

“Marvellous. Oh, and squirrel… better not let Moose and his blue jay find out about our little agreement. Loki has sent spies after your brother and his love, he’s not worried about you two just now. If word comes out that I’m working with you, my ass is one the line. So, the less people know about it, the better for you and me, understood?” Crowley waited patiently for Dean’s answer, noting with amusement how tense the hunter’s jaw was.

 

“Whatever it takes to get you out of here. And you better hold up your end of the bargain”, Dean warned, his voice dangerously low.

 

“A weapon like that doesn’t build itself overnight, I’ll need some time. But don’t worry, you’ll get it. Make sure you work on getting that necklace, will you?”, Crowley countered, smiling humourlessly at the glaring hunter. “Little word of advice, when Moose and blue jay return, that’s when you want to look for Sleipnir. He’ll be lurking around the bunker… just call out to him, he should be dim enough to show himself”

 

“Get out”, Dean repeated more loudly this time, feeling Cas pull him back as the hunter took a challenging step forward. Crowley merely chuckled to himself.

 

“Alright squirrel. See you later”

 

In the blink of an eye, the demon vanished.

 

OoO

 

“You know Sam will be upset with you”, Cas told his lover as Dean was putting on his leather jacket, ready to step out of the bunker and face Sleipnir. It was close to one in the morning, and Sam and Gabriel had retreated to the younger Winchester’s bedroom about an hour ago to watch a movie. Dean had made sure to spend some time with his brother and Cas beforehand, cooking his legendary burgers despite Sam’s protests, and generally having a good time.

 

“I want to have the memory of tonight’s dinner in mind, Cas. If anything were to happen to me, I don’t want to remember Sam a worried mess as he bids me goodbye. I want to remember him relaxed, laughing and happy. He’ll hate me for a while, but he’ll get over it” Dean slipped into his boots and exhaled loudly as he looked up at his lover. Cas looked worried and sad, and the hunter knew that he would never be able to unsee this expression.

 

“Don’t make me regret spending what could be my last hours with you. Didn’t you just hear what I said? I don’t want my last memory of you or Sam to be as sad one. I want to see you happy, Cas”, Dean told his lover, getting up from the bed to place a tender kiss on the seraph’s lips. Cas kissed him back with the desperation of a drowning man struggling to swim to shore. Dean pulled the angel close to him, hugging him tightly and rocking them slightly from side to side.

 

“Be careful, Dean” The angel’s voice croaked ever so slightly as he spoke his lover’s name, but Dean knew that Cas was strong. He would be the one to keep Sam calm. “Thank you. Thank you for doing this, you have no idea how much this means to me”

 

“I think I have an idea”, Dean laughs slightly, repeatedly kissing Cas’ temple without loosening his grip on the seraph. “Hey, can I ask you for a favour?”

 

“Of course, Dean”

 

“Don’t let Sam blame himself if anything happens to me, alright? None of this is his fault. And… same goes for Gabriel. I mean, he’s still a douchebag, and if hurts Sammy I’ll personally come back to life to kick his ass. But… saving people, hunting things… that’s what I do. This was my choice, and I want all of you to know that, okay? I always wanted to go down with a gun in my hand, so don’t let anybody blame themselves for something I decided to do” Dean pulled back, holding Cas at arms’ length as he stared into his lover’s eyes intently. The seraph merely nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes.

 

“I’ll do my best Dean, but you’ll be fine. And if anything goes wrong, you call me alright? No hesitation… please?”, Cas’ bright blue eyes widened pleadingly, an expression Dean would never learn to resist.

 

“Of course, Cas”, Dean placed a soft and lingering kiss on his lover’s lips, pulling back ever so slightly to whisper a hushed ‘I love you’ under his breath.

 

“I love you, too”, Cas replied.

 

Dean had left the bunker shortly after his conversation with Cas, taking with him only his Colt and one of Cas’ angel blades. He left in the middle of the night, letting his hand travel over Baby’s bodywork, memorizing every curve and every bump of his precious Impala. A small smile graced his lips as he disappeared into the nearby woods. A strong wind chilled him to the bone, and the older Winchester wished he had taken a thicker jacket with him. Winters in Kansas could be harsh, and he wished he did not have to find out the hard way.

 

“Alright Sleipnir… I know you’re out there”, Dean called out when he was far enough away from the bunker, “Come on, show yourself”

 

The hunter waited several seconds, listening for any movements indicating the presence of another being. When he was only met with silence, Dean started pacing slowly through the bushes and between the trees, using his flashlight to scan the area for the demi-God.

 

“Come out, come out, wherever you are”, the older Winchester chanted, his voice low and alert. “I don’t have all night, you son of a bitch. Come out, I’ll make it worth your while”

 

Dean suddenly heard someone creep up on him from behind, but before the hunter had time to spin around and catch the creature red-handed, he felt a strong hand wrap around his neck and his arm being twisted painfully behind his back. A warm breath hit his neck, sending shivers down his spine.

 

“You brave little ant”, a slightly accented voice spoke in his ear.

 

“I thought I smelled horse”, Dean said sarcastically, ever so slightly struggling for air, “Sorry I forgot to bring a carrot”

 

“What brings you out here, Dean Winchester?”, Sleipnir asked, his voice sounding like it belonged to a fourteen-year-old, “We don’t want you any harm, so why seek me out?”

 

“I might tell you if you let me go, you brute” Dean could feel the grip around his throat tighten, which told the hunter that it was probably wise to cooperate, “Fine, I want to speak to your dad. About Gabriel…”

 

“What about him?”, Sleipnir asked, not easing his hold on the older Winchester quite yet.

 

“We’re after the same thing, dude. I… I want Gabriel out of our lives”

 

Sleipnir seemed to consider the hunter’s words carefully, his muscles still tense. Dean tried to remain calm to save the little oxygen left in his lungs. To his relief, the older Winchester felt the demi-God take a step back, his hand finally leaving Dean’s throat allowing precious air to fill his chest. However, his arm was still twisted behind his back and his shoulder joint began to ache uncomfortably.

 

“What tells me you won’t try anything once I take you to my father?”, Sleipnir asked dubiously.

 

“Really? You think I have a chance against a God? Here, the only weapons I have on me are my gun and an angel blade. I can hand them over to you while I speak to your dad. I will even hand them over to him. Please, I would do anything…” Dean knew that he sounded pathetic, but he could not allow himself to fail this first and very important step.

 

“I will let you go… and when I do, I want you to drop every weapon you have with you. Got it?”, the demi-God told him, waiting for Dean to nod before making true on his promise. The hunter turned around to face his opponent, not breaking eye contact as he dropped his gun and the angel blade to the ground at his feet. Sleipnir hurried to pick them up, before stepping away from Dean. If the hunter did not know any better, he would have said that the creature feared him.

 

“Alright, now hold up your end of the bargain”, Dean demanded, his voice gruff and unrelenting. Sleipnir waved his hand in the air, and on cue the hunter felt rope that strangely resembled the thong of a whip wrap around his wrist and tighten painfully tight. The burning sensation on his skin made Dean hiss, but he was quick to bite his tongue. He would not give Sleipnir that satisfaction.

 

“No double-crossing, or you’ll regret it”, the demi-God said before grabbing Dean’s arm. The older Winchester expected the familiar tugging feeling at his navel when Sleipnir zapped them out of the forest to an unknown location. Rather, the hunter felt like he was being disintegrated, atom by atom, and reassembled in a different place. It was an unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling, so different from when Cas flew them from place to place. Dean wondered if this was because the demi-God did not have any wings.

 

“Walk”, came the order as soon as they arrived at their destination. The older Winchester barely had time to adjust to his new surroundings that he was being shoved in the direction of a snow-white door which looked out of place in the otherwise dishevelled-looking motel corridor. Dean felt slightly nauseous and he had to fight the urge to throw up his dinner. When they finally reached the door, the older Winchester leaned against the wall in an attempt to compose himself, but as soon as Sleipnir had opened the door, Dean was thrown onto a cold marble floor. His vision went blurry as he willed his body to stop retching.

 

“What’s this you brought me, Sleipnir?”, a familiar voice spoke, sounding bored and disinterested. Dean raised his head and met the golden eyes of Loki.

 

“Dean Winchester, father. He wanted to see you to talk about the archangel scum” Sleipnir stepped over to his father, handing him the colt and the angel blade. Dean managed to scramble to his feet, staring challengingly at Loki. The God was sitting on a luxurious chair of red leather, one leg thrown over the other casually as he sucked on a green lollipop. His eyes narrowed as he examined the angel blade in his hands.

 

“Winchester… where did a hunter get a hold of such a powerful weapon? Did your mother never tell you not to play with sharp knives?”, the God asked mockingly, causing the blood in Dean’s veins to boil.

 

“What can I say, I was always a breaker of rules”, the hunter retorted sourly.

 

“Yes, indeed… so, Dean. Why are you here exactly?” Loki rose from his chair, the white stick of his lollipop moving from one side of his face to the other as he readjusted the sweet in his mouth.

 

“I’m here because I believe you can help me get rid of a certain fallen archangel that’s taken refuge in my home, more specifically in my brother’s bed” Dean prided himself in how irritated he sounded. He should have considered a career into acting.

 

“What makes you think I have any interest in getting involved with said archangel?”, Loki asked, clearly growing more distrustful.

 

“Well, let’s say that your son here was not particularly discreet about your intentions”, Dean bluffed, shooting Sleipnir a nasty look. Loki’s gaze fell on his son, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else than facing the disapproval of his father. The God sighed heavily before opening a wooden box in which he delicately placed his half-eaten lollipop. Dean decided that it was best not to question his actions. “I heard Gabriel suspect that you are after him. Something about seeking revenge for Odin’s death, or something like that”

 

“Believe me, kiddo, it stopped being about my murdered father a long time ago”, Loki told Dean, who feigned ignorance. The ties around his wrists dug in his skin, but the hunter did his best to ignore the pain. The God’s eyes were however drawn to Dean’s hands when he noticed the older Winchester fiddling with them uncomfortably. With a clicking of his fingers, the ropes disappeared, allowing Dean’s skin to breathe.

 

“Thank you”, said the hunter as he rubbed his wrists to stimulate the blood circulation.

 

“Tell me, what do you know about Gabriel’s relationship to me?”, Loki enquired, pouring two glasses of whiskey before handing one of them to Dean. The hunter accepted reluctantly, wondering absent-mindedly if the God had poisoned his drink.

 

“Not much. I know you generously allowed him to use your identity after he fled from heaven. And that you blamed him for Odin’s death when Lucifer caused mayhem at the Elysian Hotel several years ago. And that you took away his grace to punish him. By the way, I think you were very lenient with him. Had it been me, I would have ganked that coward”, Dean added dramatically, smelling the whiskey before taking a tentative sip. Loki merely chuckled humourlessly.

 

“So much fire. I admire that”, the God admitted, coming to stand right before Dean, “tell me, kiddo… why do you want to get rid of Gabriel so badly?”

 

“Honestly? To protect my brother from his bad influence. Sammy and I, we grew up on the road. My dad was a great hunter, but he did not do so well on the parent front. Too worried about revenge to care about his sons’ happiness. I ended up raising Sammy, I had to be a father and a mother to him. That instinct to protect him won’t just go away. And I know for a fact that Gabriel is bad news for our family”, Dean explained in his most convincing big brother voice. Loki nodded slowly, but did not look convinced yet.

 

“What makes you say that?”

 

“Well, where should I start? The first time we met the guy, he was pretending to be a trickster and was killing people. The second time, he got me and my brother stuck in a time loop where he repeatedly killed me over a hundred times to teach my brother a lesson. Oh, and there was that incident where he sent us into TV Land to teach us to ‘play our roles’ as Lucifer and Michael’s vessels. The dude’s a douchebag. And for some reason, he managed to turn my brother and my lover against me. I won’t stand for it anymore.”

 

Loki stepped even closer to Dean, clearly trying to determine whether the hunter was making all of this up. The taller man stood his ground, knowing that the last thing he should be doing was show weakness. Loki needed to buy his story, and Dean was not exactly lying either. It should be a piece of cake to convince the God that the hunter did not hold Gabriel in his heart.

 

“Where did the angel blade come from? Gabriel?” Loki’s expression was unreadable, which made Dean feel uncomfortable, not that he would show it. The memory of Cas was painful, but the hunter knew he had to stay strong.

 

“His name’s Castiel. He’s my… chrm, lover”, Dean admitted, feeling himself blush. Loki smiled somewhat as he magically conjured the angel blade in his outstretched hand. The hunter’s eyes darted between Loki and the weapon in his hand, wondering if this intervention had been a good idea after all.

 

“An angel and a human… I hear that could be considered scandalous in heaven”, Loki commented casually, twirling the weapon between his fingers.

 

“Heaven can bite me”, Dean barked back, hoping that they would soon move away from the topic of Cas.

 

“Funny. I’ve heard that one before, but not from you” The God stepped away from Dean, tossing the angel blade into the air and catching it dextrally with his other hand, “I can sense angel energy all over you. You understand that this makes it really difficult to trust you…”

 

“That’ll be why”, Dean told Loki, stripping out of his jacket and t-shirt to reveal Cas’ handprint on his shoulder, “this is where Cas grabbed me when he pulled me out of hell. Since then, we’ve shared a bond”

 

“A bond, eh?”, Loki mused as he eyed the print carefully, “how deep does that bond run?”

 

“Very deep. That’s why I want this meeting to remain between you and me. If he ever suspected that I was planning on betraying him by getting rid of his brother, he would never forgive me. And I can’t stand the thought of losing him. I’ve lost enough people I care about as it is”

 

“Will he not feel that you’re hiding something from him?”, the velvety voice asked, and Dean could tell that Loki would be harder to crack than he thought. He decided that it was time to step up his game.

 

“Of course he will. That’s why I need you to shield me from him”

 

Dean knew he would come to regret this decision, especially since that would mean that he would not be able to call Cas if things went wrong. But the hunter saw no other solution to his problem. He had to gain Loki’s trust. The other option was dying a terrible death for trying to manipulate the God. In any case, his life was at stake.

 

“Interesting. You are truly determined to see this plan of yours through, aren’t you?”, Loki said, his features softening.

 

“Look man… god… Loki… I just want my brother to be safe. It’s my job to make sure he’s happy. I’ve failed at so many things in my life, I can’t mess that one up”

 

Loki hummed pensively as he turned his back on Dean. The God began pacing, occasionally twirling the blade in his hand as he calculated the pros and cons of an association with Dean. Sleipnir, meanwhile, glared continually at the hunter. Loki finally swivelled around to face Dean, his eyes holding a curious glint in them.

 

“Let’s assume I’m willing to help you. What’s in it for me?”, the God asked.

 

“Other than getting rid of Gabriel you mean?”, Dean retorted.

 

“You seem pretty confident that I want to see Gabriel dead… I might just be keeping a look out for any suspicious activity. After all, he’s no threat to me without his grace”, Loki explained, clearly holding back information and probably also ensuring that Dean did not know more than he was letting on.

 

“Maybe so… but no offence, Loki, he came to us for help. The Winchesters, we are quite notorious by now. We’ve killed Gods before. Zeus was one of them”

 

“I can’t imagine that was particularly challenging, the Greek Gods were always rather dim, and particularly arrogant”

 

“You’re missing the point here, I think”, Dean insisted, walking closer to Loki, “We are the only people who would not shy away from confronting a God. Gabriel suspects that you have his grace, and he wants it back. If my brother digs deep enough, he will find a way to kill you with Gabriel’s help. Not only you, but your sons too. And I doubt you want to take that chance now, do you?”

 

Dean knew he was treading on very thin ice, however judging by the way Loki’s gaze darkened at his words, the hunter knew that he had struck a sensitive nerve. The God’s jaw tensed as he considered the man before him. It was time for Dean to administer the final blow.

 

“Plus, I could be useful to have in your ranks. You could use me as your personal bodyguard. Not that you need it, but… hey, I could buy you some time if your enemies are busy trying to get rid of me first”

 

Loki stared intently at Dean, clearly torn between accepting the hunters help and killing him while he still had a chance. The older Winchester swallowed audibly, nervousness progressively settling in his stomach. His palms were sweaty and he could feel his heart racing. He wanted his last thoughts to be of Sam and Cas, smiling, laughing… happy. The memory of the last meal they had shared mere hours earlier flooded back into his mind, and Dean felt himself relax ever so slightly.

 

“You are intriguing me, Dean Winchester. You seem like a very clever human, more observing than most. I’m willing to give you a chance. However… one step out of line, and the last thing you’ll see is me plunging this angel blade into your heart. And I’ll make sure that your precious angel and your brother get a little token of your stupidity. Got it?”

 

Dean swallowed back the anxious feelings at Loki’s threat, merely nodding determinedly. The hunter and the Gods shook hands to commemorate their agreement, and possibly Dean’s death sentence. The older Winchester hoped that Cas would forgive him for what Loki was about to do to their bond. And more importantly, he prayed to God that Crowley would hold up his end of the bargain.

 

TBC.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE FOR THIS CHAPTER, HEED THE RATING.

“He WHAT?”, Sam cried out when Cas told him about Dean’s decision to leave the night before without as much as a goodbye. The younger Winchester glared at the seraph, his jaw tensing as he walked menacingly towards Cas. Although the angel could incapacitate Sam easily considering his supernatural strength and speed, Cas had the decency to look the slightest bit intimidated.

 

“He wanted his last memory of you to be a happy one, Sam”, Cas tried to justify the older Winchester’s actions, but that did nothing to appease the taller hunter.

 

“So, you’re telling me that if my brother dies at the hand of Loki, I wouldn’t even have had the chance to say goodbye one last time?” Sam’s voice was low and threatening, his eyes narrowing as he intensified his glare. Cas looked distressed and apologetic as he dared to step closer to Sam, his tone turning pleading.

 

“Sam, please. Try to understand, it was what Dean wanted. And…”

 

“And Dean’s word is your command, that right? You should have done the right thing, Cas. You were selfish! Just admit that you wanted to keep him to yourself for what could have been the last time any of us saw him” Sam ended up shouting at the seraph, who stood momentarily stunned as his apologetic expression melted away into a deeply anguished one. Sam could not remember the last time he had felt such a rush of anger directed at anyone. It was no like him to be accusatory, but he was hurting. Dean was gone, and he was potentially in danger. And there was nothing he could do about it. After all his older brother had done to keep him safe… “I hope you’re happy, Cas. I hope you two had fun last night. I hope it was worth keeping me from saying goodbye to my brother…”

 

“That’s enough”, Gabriel’s voice resonated against the walls of the bunker walls. Sam was taken aback by the sharpness of the archangel’s tone. He had never experienced an annoyed or vexed Gabriel, and judging by his displeased expression, the younger Winchester did not want to.

 

“No offence, Gabe, but this doesn’t concern you…”, Sam told the former archangel, whose eyebrow arched in disbelief at the younger Winchester’s audacity to dismiss him.

 

“You are having a go at my brother for something we both know he could not have stopped even if he tried with all the might of heaven behind him. So, I disagree, it does concern me. And I’m asking you nicely to stop this” The blonde stood his ground, his chin slightly raised in defiance. Sam felt his throat go dry when he realised that he would not have Gabriel’s support on this one. How very rich of him to take Cas’ side, when the very reason Dean left was to do _him_ a favour.

 

“Well sorry, but I won’t! This is my brother we’re talking about, and I had a right to see him before he left”, Sam challenged the former archangel boldly.

 

“You did, Sam. You spent time with him before he left. Dean clearly wanted to make this quick and painless for you, and considering how stubborn your brother can get, Cas could have tried to convince him to stay until he was blue in the face. Dean still would have left”, Gabriel tried to reason with Sam, but the younger Winchester could not see past his disappointment. The sadness and worry he felt towards Dean clouded his judgement, and although the hunter was aware of this, he felt entitled to be upset with the seraph.

 

“You have no idea what it feels like, Gabriel, so just shut up. Stay out of this, it doesn’t concern you”, Sam snapped cruelly, pretending not to notice how the blonde flinched at these words. The younger Winchester ignored the pinch in his heart at the sight. Meanwhile, Gabriel tensed and his expression was impenetrable. Sam wondered if he had crossed an invisible line. His heart fell slightly in his chest when the former archangel sighed heavily and turned his back on the taller man. Cas looked uncertain what to do next, but settled for staying right where he was.

 

“You think you have everyone figured out, Sam… the truth is, you don’t”, Gabriel told the younger Winchester, his tone devoid of any emotion which was so uncharacteristic of the former archangel. Sam had gotten used to his flirty, mischievous or jolly character, sometimes contrasted sharply by a more melancholic or pensive attitude when he mentioned his siblings or heaven. Never ever had the younger Winchester not been able to pinpoint how a topic made Gabriel feel, and the thought made Sam nervous.

 

“Brother…?”, Cas spoke, his tone inquiring and laced with worry. As the seraph extended his hand towards Gabriel, Sam noticed the former archangel shrug away before his brother had a chance to touch him. The blonde exhaled tiredly, almost as if he was carrying an impossibly heavy weight on his shoulders.

 

“I’m alright, Cas. I guess Sam is right. This is none of my business”

 

Sam did not follow Gabriel out of the room quite yet. He was unsure what to do, or what to say if he caught up with the former archangel. A hesitant look in Cas’ direction told Sam that he had fucked up royally. The seraph looked disorientated, lost… clearly, he had never experienced his older brother like this, either. Or maybe as a celestial being, Gabriel had been better at hiding his emotions.

 

“Cas, look…”

 

“I think you’ve said enough, Sam. Just so you know, Dean and I did not spend the night together. It was an agonizing experience for me, too. He left in the middle of the night, shortly after you and Gabriel went to sleep. Don’t you think I would have loved to keep him here for just a while longer? Just until morning? Do you realise how betrayed I felt this morning when I tried to reach out to his soul only to find that he shut me out, despite promising me that he would call me if something was wrong?” Cas bit his lip as he stared sternly at Sam. The younger Winchester’s stomach twisted uncomfortably as guilt over his behaviour and words eventually settled. “Your brother is stubborn, Sam. But his heart and head are both in the right place, and we should learn to trust him”

 

Sam knew Cas was right, and he also knew that he should apologise to him and Gabriel.

 

“Do you think he’s gonna be alright, Cas?”, Sam asked, a child-like insecurity clearly perceptible in his tone. The seraph visibly softened at the vulnerability displayed by the younger Winchester. He placed a comforting hand on Sam’s shoulder before offering him what was meant as a reassuring smile, but came across as rather tense.

 

“If anyone can figure this out, it’s your brother. I have faith in him, Sam. You should, too”

 

Sam knew that Cas was right. Taking the seraph by surprise, the younger Winchester pulled him in a tight embrace. “Thanks, Cas. I’m sorry I blamed you. I just needed a scape-goat, I guess”

 

“It’s alright, Sam”, the angel returned the embrace somewhat awkwardly, but Sam felt a familiar warmth spread in his chest. However, the younger Winchester could not help but notice that this sensation was different from the one he felt when Gabriel hugged him. Sam saw Cas like a brother… Gabriel, not so much. The thought of the former archangel alone in his room brought Sam back to reality. He stepped away from the seraph and exhaled loudly.

 

“Guess I should go talk to Gabriel. He was only trying to be helpful and I was a dick to him…”

 

“Good luck”, Cas told the younger Winchester, his face indicating that Sam would struggle to get through to the former archangel, “if you thought your brother was stubborn, you clearly have never met Gabriel”

 

“I need to try”, Sam insisted, determined to apologise for his behaviour, “see you around, Cas”

 

OoO

 

The most cruel trick Loki had ever played was to take away Gabriel’s grace while leaving his memory of eons of years of existence intact.

 

Dealing with his feelings of guilt as an archangel had been easy. He had managed to keep himself distracted, which had always been easy when entertainment was only a clicking of  his fingers away. As a human, Gabriel felt vulnerable, weak. Not physically, mind you. He was convinced that he would still be able to defeat most humans in close combat, even though his vessel had never been the most flexible or the fastest one. His stamina would keep him going longer than any other human. Mentally, however… Gabriel was not doing very well on that front.

 

The most difficult emotion to deal with as a new human? Guilt. The former archangel, now unable to distract himself from his thoughts longer than a couple of hours, was forced to face his memories of leaving heaven. Not only leaving his home, but abandoning his siblings without as much as a goodbye. When Sam had started having a go at Castiel, it had caused Gabriel’s blood to boil with anger. At first, the former archangel had attributed this reaction to his protectiveness towards his younger sibling and former fledgling. In hindsight, Gabriel knew that this was bull crap. Castiel could very well take care of himself, and stand up for himself. He did not need his former mentor’s protection any more. Gabriel’s reaction had stemmed from his own guilt. He knew what it felt like to leave his family. He understood why Dean had decided to leave his brother without allowing Sam to say goodbye. Gabriel had done the same, even if his rationale might have been different to the older Winchester’s. The former archangel had to face the music sooner or later: the reason he had not bothered to bid his family farewell was because of his own cowardice.

 

He could not possibly tell Sam this, however. If the younger Winchester found out about his past, he would turn away from him. Sam was so selfless, so brave and with a soul that shone so bright it would blind anyone who caught a glimpse of it. Gabriel was… a failure. Unworthy of being called an archangel. Maybe Loki had done him a favour, after all.

 

“Gabe?”, Sam’s warm voice called him. The younger Winchester stood awkwardly in the door frame, a hand still on the brass handle ready to shut the door behind him if Gabriel sent him away. Bless his soul. Gabriel did not react to his nickname being spoken, however. He merely stared at Sam expectantly, waiting for him to make the first move. The moose of a man smiled shyly, clearly not taking Gabriel’s silence as an invitation to leave. Sam stepped inside the guest room the former archangel had boycotted for a while in favour of the younger Winchester’s bed. It did not feel like his room anymore, but Gabriel gathered that storming off in Sam’s room would be counter-productive.

 

“Listen, uh… I never meant to snap at you. I… I just want to understand why Dean did this, you know? And Cas was right there, and I know it’s not his fault but… it was easier to blame him than to blame Dean”, Sam tried to explain, but his justification only managed to irritate Gabriel further. He wanted to shout at Sam that the very reason they were in this situation, with Dean seeking to steal Gabriel’s archangel grace back from a powerful Norse trickster God, was because Loki had blamed Gabriel for Lucifer’s deeds. Gabriel had been right there, too. And Loki had known that Odin’s death had not been Gabriel’s fault. The fact that Sam adopted the same behavioural pattern than the trickster God made Gabriel sick to his stomach.

 

Gabriel remained quiet, however.

 

“I know I was wrong in doing that”, Sam whispered, his voice heavy with unspoken emotion. Gabriel’s attention was piqued when he noted the tightness of the younger Winchester’s voice. The former archangel carried on staring silently at Sam, trying to reign in his own emotions before speaking. “Gabriel, I’m… I don’t know what I can say or do to show you how sorry I am, but… I can’t lose you, okay? I’ve not felt this way about someone since Jessica. I mean… Amanda, she was a void-filler, as horrible as this makes me sound. But you… you are so much more than that. And you probably always have been, only I never saw it, or refused to see it. Just… don’t be angry with me, please. I have enough on my plate with Dean being God knows where. Don’t make me worry about losing you, too”

 

 _Damn you, Winchester_ , Gabriel thought to himself. The former archangel exhaled loudly, his features finally softening as he succumbed to Sam’s heartfelt speech. The younger Winchester took a deep breath as he blinked more than usual, which Gabriel guessed was linked to the dampness of his eyes.

 

“You don’t seriously think that crying will get you what you want, do you?”, Gabriel teased, however his joking tone had the opposite effect on Sam, whose face fell at the smaller man’s words. The former archangel merely tutted the other man, wrapping his strong hand around Sam’s wrist in a comforting gesture. “Lighten up, Samshine. I was joking”

 

“Not funny…”, Sam mumbled, clearly relieved. The nervous chuckle that escaped him was enough to bring a small smile to Gabriel’s face. The younger Winchester sniffed pitifully, now earnestly fighting back tears. The blonde man closed in the gap between the two of them and pulled Sam down by the collar of his shirt, placing the softest of forgiving kisses on the taller man’s lips. Sam let out a shaky breath as he pulled Gabriel close to him. The former archangel felt hot tears hit his neck as the younger Winchester finally let go of all his bottled-up emotions. Gabriel, meanwhile, pushed his own feelings of guilt into a dark corner of his mind while he focused on rubbing soothing circles on Sam’s back.

 

“It’s okay, Samshine. Just let it all out, here’s a good moose”

 

The nickname at least made Sam chuckle brokenly, which was a small victory for Gabriel. In this moment, the fallen angel wished he was still in possession of his wings, so he could cocoon Sam protectively in them while he cried his heart out.

 

“God… I’m so sorry” Sam pulled back, wiping his eyes visibly frustrated with his own tears. Gabriel interlaced his fingers with Sam’s and lowered his hands to the taller man’s sides.

 

“You silly moose…”, was all the former archangel said before pulling Sam to the bed. The younger Winchester followed him stupidly, sitting next to Gabriel when the smaller man lowered himself onto the mattress. A calloused hand cupped Sam’s face as soft lips once again met his. This time, the kiss was more passionate, more desperate. Tongues touched and teeth clashed. Sam allowed Gabriel to straddle his lap and push Sam’s back into the soft memory foam mattress, their hands exploring each other’s bodies. Gabriel felt a fire in his groin as his arousal grew at the sounds Sam was producing. Soft moans, frustrated groans, excited sighs… when the younger Winchester’s eyes fluttered open, Gabriel noticed how the hazel eyes had dilated with anticipation. The hard bulge in Sam’s nether regions was a tell-tale indication that Gabriel was having effect on his lover.

 

“Gabe…”, Sam whispered, his voice holding a hint of uncertainty.

 

“Say the word, Samshine, and we’ll stop”, Gabriel reassured him, placing feather-like kisses on Sam’s neck.

 

“Please, don’t stop…”, the younger Winchester wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s neck and proceeded to kiss him again. The former archangel felt the urgency in the kiss, and he decided that he would keep foreplay to a minimum. Judging by the way Sam was trembling, it would not take much to get him over the edge anyway. The two of them got undressed somewhat clumsily, only stopping to steal passionate kisses from each other. Gabriel was the first one naked, and ever the helpful type, he practically ripped Sam’s jeans off him. The younger Winchester’s arousal sprung free from its confines, looking as mouth-watering as ever. Only this time, Gabriel would not be focusing on Sam’s shaft. Instead, he left a trail of kisses from Sam’s mouth all the way down to his navel, carefully avoiding touching the taller man’s shaft. His tongue darted out to tease the inside of Sam’s thigh, allowing it to wander to the younger Winchester’s puckered hole. Gabriel worked his magic, relishing in Sam’s wanting moans and in the way his voice broke when he spoke Gabriel’s name in ecstasy. Two fingers joined the former archangel’s tongue, gently circling Sam’s entrance to encourage the other man to relax.

 

“Gabe I’ve… I’ve never done… this before”, Sam admitted, sounding short of breath. Gabriel stopped, considering the implications of his lover’s confession.

 

“You should have said so earlier…”, Gabriel chastised softly, sliding back up to place a comforting kiss on Sam’s lips, “wanna reverse positions?”

 

“Yes please… if you don’t mind” Sam looked like a lost puppy with his wide, hazel eyes staring at Gabriel with apprehension, and perhaps even fear. The blonde wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

 

“Nothing in the book I haven’t tried, Sammy”, he confessed with a chuckle, rolling off Sam and pulling the taller man on top of him, “you got lube?”

 

“Not here…”

 

“Spit will have to do then” The sight of Sam’s horrified expression nearly sent Gabriel into a laughing fit, but he refrained himself, “Relax, Sammy. I’ve had unprepared sex before, you won’t hurt me…”

 

“That was when you were an archangel, though… Now that you’re human…” Sam left the remaining of his sentence hanging in the air, but Gabriel felt his pride get the better of him.

 

“I’m not made of fucking glass, Sam. Now get working or we can stop right now” Gabriel waited for Sam’s decision, noticing how conflicted the younger Winchester looked.

 

“Okay, but… if I hurt you, let me know, okay?” Gabriel nodded, resting his head on the mattress and relaxing his muscles as much as he could.

 

“I promise…”, came the confirmation Sam was waiting for. Gabriel heard the taller man spit repeatedly in his hand, making sure to lubricate his dick as best as he could. The former archangel shot his lover a lusty look, licking his lips as he watched Sam guide his shaft to Gabriel’s tight opening. Sam’s tip began pushing past the taught ring of muscle, and Gabriel had to hold back a hiss of pain when he felt the burn around his hole. Damn, he had expected pain, but not this much. He reminded himself to breathe and to relax as much as possible. Sam’s frown of concentration could not be described as anything less than cute, and Gabriel decided to use this to distract himself from the discomfort he felt as Sam gently buried himself deeper in his lover’s body.

 

“How you coping?”, Sam’s hoarse voice asked, startling Gabriel ever so slightly.

 

“Peachy, Sammykins… You’re doing great”, the former archangel complimented, again holding back a hiss as Sam’s dick seemed to grow thicker by the second. Under any other circumstances, Gabriel would have taken this as a compliment, but the pain was becoming hard to ignore. Eventually, Sam was nestled all the way inside Gabriel, stopping momentarily to allow his lover a breather.

 

“Just move, Sam…”

 

“You’re clearly in pain, Gabe…”

 

“It won’t last. Please, move…” Gabriel begged, hating himself for it. Despite looking as uncertain as ever, Sam began gently moving back and forth, his hips rolling seductively as he did so. Gabriel let out a lustful sigh when the pain was gradually replaced with a more enjoyable feeling the more his hole was stretched. Soon enough, the initial discomfort made way for intense pleasure. Sam grew more confident the louder Gabriel became. The former angel had never been particularly vocal, then again it could have been the result of his newly human condition. Soon, Sam’s movements became more frantic as he lost himself in the sensation of Gabriel’s tight muscle around his hot shaft. The blonde absent-mindedly reached for his own dick, stroking it in tandem with Sam’s movements.

 

“Oh Gabe… I’m gonna…”

 

“Come for me, Samshine”, Gabriel encouraged his lover, feeling his own orgasm approaching. Sam groaned loudly he his climax washed over him, his hips pounding erratically into Gabriel as he emptied his load. It did not take long for Gabriel to join him in his state of bliss, long streaks of white painting Sam’s abdomen and chest. The taller man collapsed on top of his lover, causing all the air in Gabriel’s lungs to escape him in a huff.

 

“Wow…”, Sam whispered to no one in particular. Gabriel chuckled at the reaction.

 

“You were not so bad yourself, Samsquatch”

 

“I like you a lot”, Sam blurted out, his surprised expression telling Gabriel that this was the last thing the younger Winchester had expected to say in his post-climactic state. The blush appearing on the taller man’s cheeks was endearing, and indicative of how bashful he felt after his confession. Gabriel kissed the tip of his nose lovingly.

 

“I think I like you a lot, too, Samshine”

 

Sam broke into a wide, relieved grin. The rest of their day was spent cuddling in Sam’s bed (after they had managed to extract themselves from the bed in the guest room, and a communal shower…). For several hours, the two men almost forgot all about their worries. Gabriel felt safe in Sam’s arms, he felt at home. Their bubble of joy burst when Sam got a text from Dean, the first communication since his brother had left.

 

“What does it say?”, Gabriel asked urgently, worry clear in his voice. Sam furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

 

“It’s… It’s weird… I have no idea what he’s trying to say”, the younger Winchester admitted. Gabriel raised an eyebrow and leaned over Sam’s shoulder to read the message for himself, his expression mirroring Sam’s as he finished reading the text.

 

_I’M FINE. DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME. I KNOW THIS IS UNEXPECTED, BUT IT’S FOR THE BEST. IF YOU EVER MISS ME, REMEMBER WHAT DAD USED TO SAY. EYES ON THE PRICE, KIDDO. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRICE. TAKE CARE, SAMMY._

_-D_

 

TBC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an early Christmas present. I wrote this before going to visit family, so sorry for the possible mistakes. Hope the sex scene made up for it, though. 
> 
> Hope you guys all have a wonderful Christmas/Winter Holiday. Stay safe x


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The little Loki anecdote in this chapter is as historically accurate as it gets with the old Norse writings. I also wish to point out that in this fic, I'm following the supernatural writers' interpretation of Loki's character, i.e. by writing him as Odin's son, and an actual part of the Aesir. However, the history student in me could not help but tell you guys that Loki's identity is ambiguous today. The writings of Snorri Sturluson and his contemporaries tend to depict Loki as half giant, half-God (and the 'blood brother' of Odin, rather than his son). However, the Marvel franchise for instance (but not exclusively) have portrayed Loki as Odin's adoptive son. 
> 
> But far away the thought of dwelling on Norse mythology (that's what my uni essays are for, I suppose). Enjoy this chapter guys.

Dean stared at his phone, re-reading the message he had sent Sam the day before. Obviously, he could not speak clear-text to his brother with Loki hovering over him like an ever-present menace. The God did not trust him yet, and Dean knew that he would have to work hard to earn it. The question of how he would achieve this still remained.

 

 _Keep your eyes on the price, kiddo_.

Their dad had never said anything of the kind, not that Dean could recall at least. He knew that his text would confuse Sam at least for a while, but it was vague enough to keep Loki in the dark if he decided to investigate. Dean hoped Sam would figure out that what was meant with that text was that Dean had _his_ eyes on the price. Indeed, the older Winchester had located Gabriel’s grace after he noticed Loki occasionally fiddling with something in the pockets of his chino. Dean had managed to catch a glimpse of a dazzling white-blueish light shining brighter than anything he had ever laid eyes on. It had to be Gabriel’s archangel grace, there was no other explanation. However, the older Winchester tried not to get too ahead of himself; it was possible that Loki was trying to trick him to ensure Dean had indeed sought out his help to get rid of Gabriel, and not to help the fallen archangel. For the time being, the hunter deemed it safer to keep a low profile.

 

Dean had naively assumed that Loki would let him travel back and forth between the bunker and… where ever Loki’s location was (Dean still had no idea where Sleipnir had taken him to). Clearly, the older Winchester had been wrong. Loki had shown him to a lavish guest room the night of his arrival, and Dean was ready to bet his precious Impala on it that if he even considered escaping, he would never succeed. And to top it all off beautifully, he had agreed to Loki shielding him from Cas… which not only meant that he had no way of contacting his lover if things went wrong, but also that Dean had broken his promise to the seraph. It was for a good cause, but the angel would not necessarily be able to see the bigger picture straight away. Dean just hoped that his lover would find it in him to forgive the hunter. If Dean ever got to explain himself.

 

All of this meant that Dean was now stuck in some desolated hotel, for all he knew in a totally different dimension, staring around the trickster’s luxurious suite in a less than interested manner. Loki had called for him to join him in his quarters (a receptionist had contacted Dean over the phone in his room – the receptionist of an abandoned hotel. All was peachy in the best of worlds). The older Winchester absent-mindedly wondered if all Norse Gods tended to be late – might well be a family trait, Dean thought sarcastically to himself. The hunter wondered if he should start snooping around for Hel’s necklace while he was waiting on Loki. He cursed himself for agreeing to help Crowley out on this one, making his mission even more perilous than it already was. Dean’s gut feeling, however, screamed at him to wait patiently and not to walk into one of Loki’s potential traps. Besides, an artefact as powerful as this necklace would not be on display, surely. Twenty more minutes passed before the double-doors to the suite swung open seemingly of their own volition, marking the grand entrance of Loki.

 

“Ah, Dean”, the trickster greeted the hunter with a booming voice, “I see you got my message”

 

“Yeah, forty minutes ago”, Dean retorted irritated.

 

“When you’ve lived as long as I have, time increasingly becomes meaningless”, Loki remarked casually, not sounding the least bit apologetic for his tardiness, “Forty minutes for you is a mere blink of an eye for me”

 

“Why did you call me, Loki?”, Dean asked, swiftly changing the subject. Loki shut the doors behind him with a wave of his hand. Dean’s eyes unconsciously shifted to the trickster’s trouser pocket. He had to stop doing that if he did not want to attract attention to himself. The Norse God retrieved a crystal carafe out of a wooden cabinet which looked like it belonged in a medieval castle rather than in a high-end 21st century hotel suite. Loki poured himself a glass of the yellowish liquid, before clicking his fingers and conjuring up a tumbler filled with a dark amber liquid meant for Dean.

 

“Take a seat, Dean”, Loki asked the hunter, motioning for the red leather couch. Dean hesitated briefly before complying.

 

“What’s that you’re drinking?”, the hunter asked, hoping to make conversation and break the unsettling silence which made him feel like he was about to face the wrath of the trickster God.

 

“A type of mead. And before you ask, I’ll only offer you a taste of this if I my intentions were for you to instantly die of alcohol poisoning” Dean raised a questioning eyebrow.

 

“Oh, so you read minds now, too?”, he asked the trickster, taking a sip of his own drink. Whiskey. The good stuff, too.

 

“I can do many things, but I’m not a psychic. If anything, I can perceive the smallest changes in emotions and attitudes, which I suppose is a way of reading minds” Loki winked cheekily at the hunter as he mused about the extent of his own powers. Dean cleared his throat nervously, avoiding eye contact with the Norse God. It just felt weird being winked at by a deity who looked exactly like his younger brother’s squeeze.

 

“So, what’s the occasion? We gonna get rid of Gabriel today, or what?” Loki chuckled, visibly amused by Dean’s eagerness. The older Winchester tried not to look offended.

 

“Now, now, little falcon, if you leave the nest too early you will break your wings”, Loki philosophised, almost earning himself an irritated eye-roll from Dean. “No, I called you here merely to get to know you better. Tell me, Dean, do you play poker?”

 

Dean felt like laughing out loud at the question. If he played poker, the God had asked? _Does the sun not rise in the east, and set in the west?_ However, Dean wondered if he really should brag about the extent of his talent for poker. This might be a good opportunity to forge a relationship of trust with the Norse God. If playing dumb when it came to a stupid card game was to way to do this, then Dean would just have to bite his tongue.

 

“My old man tried to teach me between drunken spells. Never had a chance to get any good at it. But hey, at least it kept him from lashing out at me, or worse, at Sammy”

 

Yes, Dean was being a tad dramatic. True enough, John Winchester had notoriously had the tendency to have a drink too many, but the abuse he had given his sons had mostly been verbal, and more often than not directed at Dean. The only time their dad had been physically abusive was when he lashed out at Dean for allowing Sam to leave for Stanford. Loki did not need to know that, however. Plus, from the little research Dean had done on the God, Loki’s relationship with his own father Odin had not always been the most harmonious, either. The trickster would be able to identify with Dean’s situation. At least, that was what the hunter hoped.

 

“Well, since this is about getting to know each other, how about I teach you?”, Loki suggested, his tone ever so slightly hinting at sarcasm. Dean did not know what to think of Loki, but one thing he could be certain of; he had to be very careful around the trickster God.

 

“Why the hell not?”, Dean accepted, downing his drink. This promised to be an interesting couple of hours.

 

OoO

 

Pretending to suck at something you excelled at turned out to be harder than what Dean had imagined. Loki and he had played poker all afternoon, and Dean had gradually ‘gotten better’ at it. He had even earned himself a praise form the trickster God for being a remarkably fast learner. They had set Dean back a couple of hundred dollars only, although Loki had told the hunter that money was the least of his worries. What these games of poker had highlighted, however, was how calculating and deceptive Loki truly was. Dean had yet to figure out the trickster’s strategy, although he did not exclude the possibility that the God had been cheating. Fraudulent behaviour probably came naturally to Loki.

 

“Didn’t know Norse Gods were famous for their gambling addictions”, Dean joked after they had put the cards away. Loki had diligently been drinking his mead and had continually topped up Dean’s drink using his magic. The older Winchester was glad that he could hold his alcohol well. He was no fool; he knew what Loki was trying to do. Too bad for him, Dean Winchester was the type to shut down even more when drunk. Inebriating him would not get the Norse God any information on his true intentions.  

 

“Not so much the other Gods”, Loki admitted, relaxing into his leather chair, “I’ve always had a tendency to not take myself too seriously. I enjoy a good game of cards once in a while, although the stakes need to be much, much higher for me to indulge in gambling. Your money? Irrelevant and useless to me”

 

“What a life…”, Dean commented, making sure to sound slightly jealous.

 

“Don’t worry, Dean. I’ll give you a free pass for today”, Loki promised, throwing one leg over the other casually.

 

“I don’t need your pity, Loki. If I’ve learned anything from life, it’s that there’s no such thing as a free lunch” Dean could not help but feel defensive when faced with the trickster’s patronising tone. He hated being in people’s debts, monetary or other. The God arched an eyebrow in surprise, grinning ever so slightly as he hummed pensively.

 

“You remind me a lot of my brother Thor… perhaps a brighter version of him, I’ll grant you that”, Loki told Dean, who merely shrugged his shoulders dismissively.

 

“Wouldn’t know if I should be taking this as a compliment or not. Sammy has always been better at that kind of stuff. He loves to read, a right bookworm. Me, that was never my thing. So, apologies if I’m not familiar with your background story”, the hunter admitted.

 

“You must know something, at least”, Loki urged, sounding slightly aggrieved. Dean decided to play dumb.

 

“The most serious reference I’ve got is the Thor Marvel franchise”, he offered nonchalantly, chuckling inertly at the look of pure shock and indignation on Loki’s face. For the first time since he had arrived, Dean had no doubt about the trickster God’s emotional state.

 

“That is preposterous. The thought that humans nowadays associate Norse mythology with this poorly executed franchise is enough to send any God into a vindictive fury”, Loki blurted out, seemingly unable to recover from his stupefaction. Dean enjoyed the effect his apparent lack of knowledge had on the God. He wondered if the mead was making Loki more passionate.

 

“Well, guess I can call myself lucky to be in the presence of the trickster God himself. I would be interested in learning more about you, and your kind… that is, if you don’t mind enlightening an ignorant human”

 

“If I mind?”, Loki exclaimed, an excited glint in his eyes, “it would be my pleasure, Dean”

 

The trickster clicked his fingers, refreshing his and Dean’s drinks as was to be expected. The hunter slid deeper into the sofa and sipped casually on his whiskey, already wondering how he could use Loki’s stories to his own advantage.

 

OoO

 

Sam had thought hard about Dean’s text all night, but he could not for the life of him remember a single instance when their father would have uttered the words featured in Dean’s text. Keep your eyes on the price? Which price? What was Dean trying to tell him? Sam cast a look to Gabriel’s side of the bed, smiling softly when he noticed the blonde snoring softly into his pillow while an episode of _The Big Bang Theory_ was playing in the background. Poor guy still easily succumbed to tiredness, and Sam would be lying if he said that he did not envy his lover for it. Lover? Boyfriend? They had not really defined what they were yet. However, he had to keep focused on Dean’s text and its possible meanings. _Bigger fish, Sam_ , he reminded himself.

 

_Eyes on the price… keep your eyes on the price._

Sam switched off his TV with a huff, the sound of the laugh track making him feel ludicrous. He was smart, he could figure this out. Maybe he should be looking at it from another angle. It was possible that Sam was overthinking this. If he ignored the part about his father, maybe the text would make more sense. The younger Winchester grabbed his phone from the night stand and opened the message app, tapping on Dean’s name and bringing up their most recent conversation. Sam had not replied, too concerned about saying the wrong thing and tipping Loki off. The taller hunter scanned the message for a while, filtering out the parts that were either superfluous or incorrect.

 

_I’m fine. Don’t worry about me._

This part was undoubtedly Dean making sure his younger brother knew that there was nothing to be concerned about.

 

_I know this is unexpected, but it’s for the best._

Superfluous. Even though Sam had not expected Dean to leave as early as he did, he knew that his brother planned to look for Loki. Nothing unforeseeable about that. He mentally took that sentence out of the text.

 

_If you ever miss me, remember what dad used to say._

This part made no sense to Sam. Dean would never associate missing him with a memory of John Winchester. The younger hunter therefore filtered that bit out as well.

 

_Eyes on the price, kiddo. Always keep your eyes on the price. Take care, Sammy._

“Eyes on the price… oh my God”, Sam whispered under his breath. He thought he finally understood what Dean was trying to say, and mentally kicked himself for taking so long to figure it out. Talk about a former Stanford student. Of course, Sam could not be one hundred percent certain that he was on the right path, but it was the closest he had come to formulating an explanation. Sam shook Gabriel excitedly, ignoring the slightly grumpy groan the former archangel produced at being woken from his slumber.

 

“Whaaaa?”, Gabriel moaned, sleep lines marking the side of his face as he squinted at Sam, his eyes having not quite adjusted to the brightness around him.

 

“I figured it out! It’s Dean. Dean has his eyes on the price! Gabe, I think my brother found your grace”

 

OoO

 

“Wait, wait… you’re telling me that you’re the reason Thor has his mighty hammer?”, Dean asked, incredulity lacing his tone. Okay, he had to admit that he may had had one whiskey too many, but Loki was not exactly the epitome of soberness anymore either, so who cared?

 

“Yep. Funny story, in fact. I had to ask the dwarves of Svartalfheim to come up with grandiose gifts for the Gods because in an inebriated state, I happened to have shaven off Thor’s wife beautiful golden hair. And I did such a great job at it that her hair would never again grow back on her head. Thor found out, and threatened to break every bone in my body for the rest of eternity if I did not give his wife her wonderful mane back. The dwarves manufactured her a glorified wig”, Loki explained, laughing heartily as he remembered the incident. Dean could not help but join in the laughter, and he even surprised himself at how sincerely amused he felt by the story.

 

“And, did she get what she asked for?”, Dean asked, genuinely interested.

 

“Oh yes, the little brat usually did. Thor’s hammer, however, was nearly my downfall. You see, I had agreed to give one of the dwarves my head if he won the contest and created the most beautiful treasures. Mjölnir was what tipped the balance in that dwarf’s favour, and which nearly cost me my head. But… I got out of it. I told the dwarf that the agreement only provided for him to get my head if he won… but that, by definition, excluded my throat. And since there was no way for him to behead me without cutting my throat, I remained unharmed”

 

Dean scoffed in disbelief at the turn Loki’s tale had taken, not expecting this plot twist.

 

“You sly dog, you…”

 

“You have no idea” Loki winked at him again. Dean noticed absent-mindedly how the God’s hand fiddled in his pocket, and the hunter instantly sobered up. Gabriel’s grace. That’s what he had come here for.

 

“Guess Marvel had you all wrong, then”

 

“Well, not all wrong. I personally thought Tom Hiddleston did a great job at it. His accent gave him a sense of… _je-ne-sais-quoi_. Maybe I should practice my British accent”, Loki mused to himself, allowing silence to settle between them once again. Dean wondered how far he could push his luck, but if poker had ever taught him anything it was that sometimes, taking risks paid off.

 

“Loki, can I be blunt with you?”, Dean asked boldly, not breaking eye contact.

 

“Please do, I find blunt people refreshing”, Loki assured his guest, offering him an encouraging smirk. Dean took a composing breath.

 

“Why did you help Gabriel go into hiding? What was in it for you?”

 

Loki stared at Dean intently, causing the older Winchester to wonder if he had tried his luck too much. The God pursed his lips as he broke eye contact with Dean, preferring to stare blankly into space instead. The hand in his pocket seemed to ball into a fist, threatening to tear the stitches of his chinos. The hunter felt pure static energy crack in the air above his head, a tell-tale indication that the God was doing a poor job at containing his powers. Clearly Dean had struck a nerve, and he was not ready to find out what a pissed trickster God was capable of. However, after what felt like forever, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate as Loki’s golden eyes met Dean’s once again.

 

“There was nothing in it for me. I owed Gabriel one. He saved me from one of my father’s cruel punishments. After that, he told me his story and… I empathised. Because I knew what it was like to be at war with your father, and to be at war with your siblings. However instead of running, I faced my family and bravely endured the consequences of my actions. Gabriel was never willing to do that”

 

Dean noticed the sharpness with which Loki retracted his hand from his pocket, almost as if chastising himself for his emotional lapse. The hunter did the only thing that felt appropriate to him in that situation. He remained quiet and allowed Loki to cool down by pacing back and forth in his suite. After several minutes had passed, and the God had finally stopped to refill his drink, Dean ventured to speak again.

 

“How about one more game of poker?”

 

TBC.


End file.
